


Once Upon a Hogwarts AU

by swanqueenfic13



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-04-30 16:46:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 60
Words: 79,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5171783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanqueenfic13/pseuds/swanqueenfic13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A compilation of all of my OUAT Hogwarts AU stories. This will contain multiple one-shots with different pairings. Each chapter will be labelled with a brief summary, and which specific pairing it will contain. Hope you enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Midnight Solos (Red Beauty)

**Author's Note:**

> This story is all about Red Beauty, and is based off an OTP prompt I got off of tumblr:
> 
> "You love to sing in the shower and do so late at night so you can have the dorm's community bathroom to yourself, but I'm the school's choir president who had to pee and 3am, and *damn* how do you feel about solos? AU"

Normally, Belle isn’t one to break the rules.

She is a _prefect_ after all. But this is the only thing for which she makes an exception, and she knows it’s hypocritical. She loves the prefect bathroom, but she loves it most when it’s empty. There’s something about the way the sound echoes over the entire room. The tub’s perfumes fill the room, and Belle can breathe easier. But the best part is when she stands in the shower, underneath the steamy spray, and she can sing.

Belle has always been shy, especially when it comes to singing. She never sings in public, and the only time she really lets herself sing loud, unabashed, is when she’s sure no one else can hear her, at 1 o’clock in the morning.

“ _You charmed the heart right out of me. Don’t need no broom, I’m flying free_ ,” she sings, smiling to herself. She’s so lost in the music that she doesn’t hear the door opening.

 

“Gotta pee, gotta pee, gotta pee,” Ruby mutters, running into the prefect bathroom. She’d just come back from a party in the Room of Requirement, and she’s pleasantly buzzed on smuggled in firewhiskey (how she got to be the Gryffindor prefect, she’ll never quite understand). Of course, the firewhiskey goes right through her, and she has to stop for a pee break before getting back to Gryffindor Tower. At 1 o’clock in the morning, she doesn’t expect anyone else to be in there, but lo and behold, the shower is running, and the bath tub is still draining. She shrugs, and runs to the toilet. It’s when she’s washing her hands that she cocks her head, listening to the music bouncing around the room.

“ _I’m losing all control. My chest is one big hole. Inside you’ll see my soul, happy as can be,_ ” a female voice croons. Ruby’s eyes widen. How the hell has she never heard her before? She’s the president of the damn Hogwarts choir, and she’s heard practically everyone with any interest or ability in singing.

“Hello?” Ruby calls out. The voice stops abruptly. She hears the shower curtain yank open.

“Who’s there?” a small voice calls out. Ruby wants to laugh; it almost sounds like Belle French, the mousy Ravenclaw prefect in her year, but Belle is so quiet. She couldn’t possibly sing like that, could she?

“Ruby Lucas. Who’re you?” she calls back, stepping closer to the row of showers. She turns a corner and sees none other than a dripping wet Belle French, her head poking out of the shower. Ruby flushes and drops her eyes to the floor. She hears Belle squeak nervously, the curtain yanks shut again. “Hi Belle,” Ruby says awkwardly.

“Hello,” she laughs nervously. “C-can you, uh, hand me my t-towel, p-please?” Ruby looks up, grabbing the fluffy gray towel on the bench in front of her. When she hands it to Belle through the side of the curtain, she gets a glimpse of long, pale legs. Ruby whimpers, imagining what else is behind that curtain. “I, uh, I didn’t think anyone else uses the prefect bathroom at this time of night,” she continues, stepping out from behind the curtain, her towel hitched tight under her arm.

“I didn’t think anyone could sing Celestina Warbeck songs better than Celestina Warbeck, but here we are,” Ruby jokes. Belle’s face turns bright red and she looks at her feet.

“Oh, no, I-I can’t- you heard that?” Belle mumbles. Ruby grins broadly, lightly hitting the girl’s shoulder.

“Hells yeah, I heard it! You’re great! Why have you never tried out for choir? We could use your talent! Listen, we have a holiday concert planned in Hogsmeade, and we could use you for a solo on _All I Want for Christmas,_ the muggle song?” Ruby says, talking quickly.

“No, no, no, I don’t sing for other people,” Belle says hurriedly, cutting Ruby off.

“But, I’m other people,” Ruby points out, “and you just sang.”

“I didn’t know you were _there,”_ Belle moans. “I can’t sing when I know people are listening. I get, um, I get nervous.”

“Stage fright? Totally normal,” Ruby sighs. “I happen to be excellent at helping people conquer their fears, being a Gryffindor, and all.” She smiles at Belle, reaching out and grabbing her hand. It’s small, but fits perfectly in Ruby’s. Ruby clears her throat, ignoring the rush of heat she gets just from holding Belle’s hand. Really, this irrational crush needed to run its course, like, five years ago. Now, it’s just pathetic.

“Ruby, really, I, I don’t think I can. I’m no Gryffindor,” Belle whispers. Ruby just smiles at her.

“Just give me a chance,” Ruby asks, softening her voice. “Please? Just trust me.” She won’t push Belle if she _really_ doesn’t want this now, but her voice is too good to waste.

“I-” Belle starts, closing her mouth quickly. “Fine, I will _try_ ,” Belle says. “But it’s not a promise-”

“Eee!” Ruby squeals, already celebrating her victory. “You won’t regret this, I swear!” she shouts. Drunk on adrenaline, firewhiskey, and the stirring feeling in her chest (she’s hesitant to call it _love_ ), so in her excitement, she leans in and plants a kiss on Belle’s cheek. But her Gryffindor bravery, and the liquid courage from the firewhiskey, are waning. So, after kissing her, she turns and runs out of the prefect bathroom, shouting, “you won’t regret this!”

As the door slams behind her, Belle stands there, touching her cheek. It still tingles where Ruby’s lips had been, like they left a permanent mark. She smiles, blushing even though no one can see her. “Maybe you’re right,” she whispers to no one. _If I get to see more of you, Ruby Lucas, I won’t regret this at all,_ she finishes the thought in her head, just in case anyone else is lurking in the bathroom, listening to her.


	2. Spin the Bottle (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swan Queen playing Spin the Bottle at Hogwarts!

“This is what muggles do for fun?” Regina sneers, rolling her eyes.

“Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it, Mills,” Emma grins back at her, pointing at her with the empty gillywater bottle.

“Or you could just leave,” Ruby adds sarcastically under her breath. Ruby, Emma, Belle were all sixth year Gryffindors. They were hosting a before-Christmas sleepover in the Room of Requirement, a tradition they’d started in first year. This year, they invited more of their friends to make a bigger party. Belle invited Mary Margaret and David, her friends from Hufflepuff. Ruby had invited Killian and Robin, Slytherin fourth and seventh years, respectively, respectively, mostly because they promised to sneak in the booze. Emma, much to everyone’s chagrin, had invited Regina Mills, sixth year Ravenclaw who probably should have been in Slytherin, and enjoyed making the Gryffindors miserable in class. It wasn’t really a secret that Emma had a major crush on Regina, but that girl was straight as an arrow, as far as Ruby knows.

“Fine, I’ll go first,” Regina says, glaring at Ruby. She grabs the bottle from Emma and leans into the center of the circle, using two of her hands to spin the bottle with much more force than is necessary. She leans back, sitting on her knees, licking her lips as the bottle slows down. Her expression falls a little bit when it lands on Robin.

“Cool!” the overeager, drunken fourth year exclaims, grinning at Regina. She smiles politely at him and leans forward to kiss him. She means to just give him a quick peck on the lips and pull away, obligation fulfilled. But Robin, who smells like he’s yet to discover deodorant or a shower, and spends most of his time frolicking in the Forbidden Forest, grabs her hair and tries to shove his tongue down her throat.

“What the hell,” Regina growls, shoving him away. “You yanked a huge chunk of hair out of my head,” she complains, watching as he shakes the dark brown hairs onto the rug.

“Shouldn’t have pulled away,” he shrugs, high-fiving Killian. “Was I a good kisser?”

“It was like kissing a golden retriever,” Regina mutters. “And you shouldn’t have pulled my hair.”

“Regina, he’s just a kid, don’t be so harsh,” Mary Margaret whispers.

“Whatever,” Regina mutters. “Whose turn is it now?”

“Mine,” Emma says defiantly, glaring at Robin as she spins the bottle.

“Excellent,” Killian leers as it lands on him. Emma leans into the circle and shifts the bottle so that it points at Regina. “Hey!” he protests, but his protests aren’t heard over Ruby’s whoops and cheers as Emma takes Regina by the shoulders, leaning in for a gentle, soft kiss.

Emma is surprised when Regina puts her hands on Emma’s waist, pulling the girl closer, flush against her body. Her tongue is quick, and sure, slipping into Emma’s mouth, but when Emma has gotten over her shock, she responds in kind.

Mary Margaret clears her throat awkwardly after some time, and the girls part, panting, and smiling at each other. Their cheeks are warm with embarrassment and excitement, and their lips are swollen. Regina laughs, smirking at Emma.

“If you wanted to kiss me, dear, all you had to do was ask. No need to make us all play some foolish muggle game,” she teases.

“Shut up,” Emma groans.

“And let me have a turn,” Ruby adds, grabbing the bottle and giving it a gentle spin, stopping it as it lands on Belle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any prompts or pairings you'd like to see, feel free to send them to me!


	3. Metamorphmagus (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Red Beauty one shot based off this tumblr AU prompt:
> 
> "A lot of different people have been flirting with me lately, and I never considered myself as a polygamous person, but I like them all, what am I going to do- what do you mean you're a shapeshifter and all of those people?"

“Until next time, love,” she winks, her voice husky and low as she leans in to whisper in Belle’s ear. Belle shivers with pleasure and turns to watch as the girl walks away. She’d only just met her in the train station, waiting around for the Hogwarts Express, but Belle was drawn to her. This has been happening more and more over the summer break: Belle would meet someone, they’d flirt, and leave. It was strange, and she wasn’t quite sure what to make of it, but suddenly she had crushes on everyone she’d met. She’s still standing there, thinking of those deep blue eyes and that auburn hair when her best friend Ruby strolls up.

“Hey Belle. Miss me?” she grins goofily, bumping Belle with her hip.

“Of course,” Belle grins. “Ready to get on the train?” Ruby nods, and they go to meet their other friends.

 

“Did you tell her yet?” Emma whispers as Belle goes to find a bathroom. Ruby shrugs.

“No, not yet.” Emma, Ruby’s other best friend, smacks her leg.

“She is going to _kill_ you when she finds out,” Emma warns her. Ruby shrugs again, and her eyes flash yellow.

“Maybe she will, maybe she won’t.”

“She definitely will. I would,” Regina, Emma’s girlfriend, adds from behind her book. Ruby snorts.

 

“So, how was your summer break?” Belle finally asks. Every year, they’d spend the first night on the couch in the common room, swapping stories from their vacations. It had started in first year, when Belle came down and realized Ruby was crying on the couch, homesick (though they never shared that part of the story with anyone else). Ruby smiles, tucking a loose curl behind Belle’s ear.

“It was pretty standard. I helped Granny with the inn, and the diner,” she shrugs, drawing the blanket tighter around her shoulders. “Yours?”

“It was good. Uh, weird, but… good,” Belle chuckles.

“Weird?”

“Well, I kept meeting all these new people all over the place. In town, at restaurants, even at the library. And… they were all really nice, and very, very, um, flirtatious,” Belle says, blushing and getting flustered.

“Oh?” Ruby says, barely able to contain her grin.

“Yeah, and I may or may not have developed feelings for, like, all of them. I mean, I’d never considered the idea of… polygamy before, but with these people-” Ruby can’t hold in her laughter anymore. “What- why are you laughing?” Belle asks, chuckling awkwardly, very confused.

“I-I, uh,” Ruby tries to speak through her laughter. “I’m-” she can’t get a word in, so she decides to show Belle. She closes her eyes, and suddenly her long, dark hair is replaced with shorter auburn hair. Her skin is paler, with more freckles, and her hazel eyes have changed to a deep blue.

“You- but- from the train!” Belle gasps. Catching on, she hits Ruby. “All those people? You were all those people?!” she shouts. Ruby nods, still laughing. She closes her eyes again and shifts back to her brown hair and brown eyes, her preferred look.

“And you fell for me, what? 23 times?” Ruby teases. Belle inhales sharply.

“24,” she corrects quietly.

“No, I only visited you 23 times,” Ruby says, cocking her head to the side.

“I fell for you 23 times over the summer- and don’t think I’m not mad about that because I am, and we’ll discuss that later- and then, I fell for you somewhere else along the way. Some time over these past six years, I realized I stopped thinking of you as my best friend,” Belle says softly.

“God, you need to stop reading those romance novels, Belle. You’re such a sap,” Ruby snickers. Belle hits her.

“Way to ruin the moment,” Belle sighs, rolling her eyes. Suddenly, and without warning, Ruby grabs Belle’s wrist, yanking her onto her lap. Her other hand rests on the back of Belle’s neck, wrapping up in her curls. She pulls Belle closer, and when their mouths meet, it’s like fireworks going off in Ruby’s head.

“I never ruin a moment,” she whispers, pulling away only slightly. She keeps their foreheads pressed together. “I only enhance it,” she adds cheekily. Belle rolls her eyes, so Ruby brings her in to kiss her again. After a moment, she pulls back, concern all over her face. “Which of my faces did you think was prettiest?” Belle laughs and yanks Ruby forward by the collar of her pajama shirt. Ruby pulls back. “That wasn’t an answer!” Belle dances out of Ruby’s grip, running up the stairs to their dormitory.

“Belle!” Ruby calls, running after her. “That wasn’t an answer,” she wails.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have a prompt you'd like to see, or a pairing, let me know!


	4. Daring Nerve (Red Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of RedSwanQueen friendship (maybe more?) based on this prompt:
> 
> “We were practicing the riddikulus charm with an actual boggart and on your turn you had a panic attack so i took care of your turn and are you okay?”

Regina has been looking forward to this day for _weeks_.

Everyone always fawns over the Gryffindor’s _daring nerve,_ and their _idiotic bravery_. It makes Regina sick. As a Ravenclaw, she doesn’t quite understand their irrational need to rush into situations without thinking. It’s the reason most of them end up in the hospital wing: they all push themselves to the brink of exhaustion, and pain in their attempts to be the best. And Emma Swan, fourth year Gryffindor, is the worst of them all. They all claim to be brave, and righteous, and true, but today they’re facing boggarts in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

She can’t wait to see how they react to _true_ fear.

“Alright, form a line, form a line,” Professor Locksley said. Regina rolled her eyes. He wasn’t her favorite teacher- though a former Hufflepuff, he was as thickheaded and naively chivalrous as the Gryffindors, and not particularly bright- but he knew his subject matter well enough.

All the students try to shove to the front of the line; the Gryffindors want to prove their bravery, and the Ravenclaws want to prove they know the spell better than anyone. In all this shoving, Regina somehow ends up right behind Emma Swan. _Good_ , she thinks to herself. _Can’t wait to see her biggest fear_.

Regina is right. It is amusing to watch the Gryffindors’ faces as they take on their worst fears. Who would’ve guessed that the big, bad rebel Ruby Lucas is actually terrified of spiders? And David Nolan, the beefy Gryffindor keeper is afraid of heights. But what’s more fun for Regina is watching her fellow Ravenclaws, all knowledgeable, wise, and smart-asses, flounder, forgetting the spell. Finally, after Ariel Fisher, a talkative Ravenclaw who sleeps in the bed next to Regina, dispels her fear of drowning, Emma Swan swaggers forward.

Regina smirks as she smirks back at her friends, all bravado and confidence. She spins back around, her blond curls bouncing. The rubber duck (which had been how Ariel transformed the grindylow hell-bent on drowning her), shuddered for a moment as it considered Emma. Then, all at once, it shifted into a mirror image of Emma. Everyone murmured to each other, and only Regina saw Emma’s spine stiffen. The mirror-Emma leans in and whispers in Emma’s ear, sneering cruelly.

“No,” Emma whispers.

“Remember the spell,” Professor Locksley calls out oh-so-helpfully. Regina watches as Emma hunches over slightly, now, her chest heaving. She can hear the rattling gasping of her breath. The class’ concerned murmurings grow louder, now. Mirror-Emma is whispering to Emma again, laughing, pointing at her.

“S-stop,” Emma shrieks, her voice shrill and breathy. She falls to her knees, and Emma is no longer laughing. This isn’t fun anymore, watching Emma Swan deteriorate into panic. She moves without thinking about it, kneeling beside Emma, putting an arm around the girl’s shoulder for a brief hug.

“You’re okay, it’s just a boggart,” she whispers. Then she stands, stepping in front of Emma, getting as close to Mirror-Emma as possible. Mirror-Emma cocks her head, and shudders before taking the form of the formidable Cora Mills. Regina inhales deeply; she’d been expecting this.

“You’re worthless, Regina,” boggart-Cora hissed, stepping closer to Regina. She flicks her wand, and suddenly Regina can’t breathe. It was a common punishment as a child, but she wasn’t a child anymore.

“No, mother,” Regina chokes out. “ _Riddikulus_ ,” she hisses with the last of her breath. It comes rushing back all of a sudden, and boggart-Cora can’t breathe now. She’s turning blue, her whole body swelling up like a bubble about to burst. And then, the bubble does burst. The boggart disappears back into the wardrobe. Regina takes a deep breath, and turns around. The class is split between staring at her, and staring at Emma, still on the floor.

“Space, please,” she snarls at everyone. They all flee from her glare as she kneels down beside Emma. “Professor, I’m taking her to the hospital wing,” she announces. Without waiting for any other permission, she puts her arm around Emma’s shoulder, practically dragging her out of the classroom. Ruby runs up at some point, holding her up from the other side. They only get down one corridor before Regina pulls them aside.

“What are you doing. Shouldn’t we-”

“It’s just a panic attack. Relax,” Regina interrupts, easing Emma onto the ground. She’s crying now, shaking, panting, mumbling to herself. “Emma,” she whispers, grabbing onto Emma’s hands. “Look, it’s over now, okay? It was just a boggart.”

“N-no…” she gasps. “S-so real.”

“Emma, you have to breathe, honey,” Ruby cries. Regina shoots her a look, and she backs up. Regina takes one of Emma’s hands and puts in on her chest.

“When I breathe, you breathe,” she tells her, taking dramatic, deep breaths. She watches as Emma focuses on Regina’s chest rising and falling. Slowly, her breathing steadies, matching Regina’s. She’s still shaking, but when her breathing steadies, she blushes, taking her hand off of Emma’s chest.

“Are you okay?” Ruby asks, sitting on the floor next to Emma. They’re very late for their next class, but none of them care.

“No,” Emma groans. “In front of everyone?” she whispers, more to herself as she drops her head into her hands.

“Miss Swan, boggarts are _literally_ our worst fears materialized. They live off of panic. It’s understandable that this would happen,” Regina explains gently, taking the girl’s hand.

“I’m a Gryffindor!” Emma shrieks. “I’m not supposed to break down crying just because some stupid boggart told me I was worthless, and all alone!” Regina raises one eyebrow, curious.

“Your worst fear is being worthless, and being abandoned?” Emma nods, almost ashamed. “You may not have noticed, but so is mine.” Emma lifts her head to look at Regina.

“But _you_ didn’t break down,” she mutters.

“Everyone handles fear differently,” Regina shrugs.

“I’m a Gryffindor,” she repeats sullenly. “Gryffindors are supposed to be brave.”

“Brave doesn’t mean fearless, Em,” Ruby adds. “You saw how I got with that big ass spider.”

“But-”

“No buts, Emma. We all have fears. Can I tell you a secret?” Regina says, her voice shaking a little. She’s never told anyone this before, but if it helps Emma, it’ll be worth it. She’s gotten over the worst of her panic attack, but her embarrassment and shames is keeping her on the floor of the classroom, head in her hands. She shrugs, and Regina takes a deep breath.

“Swear you’ll never tell anyone this,” she says lowly, glaring at Ruby as she says it. “Not David, not Belle, not David, and _especially_ not Mary Margaret.” That girl can’t keep a secret to save a life.

“I promise,” Ruby says, leaning closer as she is drawn in by Regina’s low, sultry voice. Regina nudges Emma.

“I promise,” she mumbles, raising her head out of her hand. She draws her knees to her chest and rests her chin on her knees, watching Regina as she smooths the wrinkles in her skirt.

“My mother isn’t really my biggest fear,” she whispers. “Well, not exactly. When I was a kid, she used to, um, use magic to close my airway?” she whispers nervously, staring at her hands to avoid the gaze of Ruby and Emma. “And so my fear is, like, not being able to breathe. But I’ve been practicing with boggarts ever since first year so that no one would ever know exactly what happened, but I slipped up today. I didn’t want anyone to see my mother was my biggest fear, and I slipped up today,” she finishes. Ruby immediately lunges forward, wrapping her arms around Regina. She wriggles in her grasp, but eventually, when she feels Emma’s arms join the embrace, she sighs into it.

_Well, I guess their chivalry isn’t_ too _bad_ , Regina thinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review! If you've got a pairing or prompt, send it in!


	5. First Times (Sleeping Warrior)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based off a tumblr prompt:
> 
> “You’ve never tried firewhiskey before and i really want to see your reaction”

“Come on, Mulan,” Aurora whines. The seventh year Ravenclaw had been best friends with Mulan, a seventh year Gryffindor, since second year when Mulan rescued Aurora from a group of kids who’d been harassing her. Mulan, always stoic and honor-bound, didn’t always understand carefree Aurora, but they were practically inseparable.

“I’m not of age,” Mulan replies, smiling at Aurora as she pushes the glass away. After hearing that Mulan had never tries firewhiskey, Aurora had bribed a fourth year Hufflepuff to smuggle in some with help from his older brother, who’d graduated last year.

“Neither am I,” Aurora giggles. Mulan can tell by the fog in her beautiful blue eyes that Aurora has already stolen a few sips. She’s pretty like a princess, and has the alcohol tolerance of a child, and Mulan is in love with her. Of course, she knows it isn’t reciprocated- Aurora had been dating Philip for three years before they broke up last year.

“Aurora, this isn’t a good idea.”

“Come on, I’ve _always_ wanted to see you get drunk, let loose a little. Please, Mulan?” she whines.

“Really? Why?” she asks, pulling the cup away as Aurora goes to drink more.

“You’re serious?” She slurs her words just a bit, and smiles lazily at Mulan, leaning back onto the chair. “You wanna know? Mulan, ever since I met you, you’ve been perfect: perfect grades, you never talk back, you join clubs, you’re on the quidditch team, you’re good to your friends. You’re perfect. And I want to see what happens.” Aurora drops her voice to a whisper, crawling over to sit next to Mulan on the couch. She leans onto Mulan’s shoulder and whispers in her ear. “I want to see what happens,” she repeats, “when you let loose.”

Mulan shivers, feeling Aurora’s breath on her skin, and suddenly she feels reckless. She’s been perfect since birth. She always followed the rules, never broke curfew, never talked back to her parents. She did whatever they asked, helped out around the house, volunteered. And where had it gotten her? She’d never been in a relationship, never been kissed, and was in love with her best friend who only saw her as just that: a best friend. So, she looked at the amber liquid in the cup, and tipped her head back, gulping the entire glass all at once. It burns her throat, and her stomach as it settles, and suddenly the world is spinning, and she’s coughing.

“Yeah, it’s tough the first time,” Aurora grins. “But fun, right?” Mulan turns, smiling as Aurora slips and falls, crashing onto Mulan’s lap. She likes feeling Aurora’s warmth on her, likes her being this close. She giggles.

“Yeah, it’s fun,” she sighs, running her fingers through Aurora’s hair. Aurora sighs happily, and they pour themselves another glass.

After an hour of giggling, swapping stories, gossiping, and drunkenly sharing secrets, Aurora is sitting in Mulan’s lap, her arms around Mulan’s neck.

“So,” Aurora laughs, giggling. The firewhiskey bottle has long been empty. “You’ve- hic- never been kissed?” Mulan shrugs. “Well- hic- then tonight- hic- will be a night of first times,” she whispers. And then, without any preamble, Aurora surges forward, and kisses Mulan.

She tastes like firewhiskey, and her lips are clumsy in finding their way to Mulan’s, but Mulan can’t breathe. For a moment, she is frozen, eyes still open. All at once, she comes to her (albeit still drunk) senses, and she leans into. Mulan wraps her arms around Aurora’s waist, pulling her impossibly closer, and she feels Aurora tangle her hands in her hair. Suddenly, they’re laughing, lips still locked. Mulan pulls back first to smile foolishly.

“I guess it is a night of firsts,” is all she says before leaning forward to find Aurora’s lips again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews, please? I love reviews! And if you have a pairing or prompt, feel free to send it in!


	6. Quidditch Final (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on a prompt submitted from user DisturbingVision:
> 
> "Emma is the seeker for Gryffindor and Regina (a Ravenclaw) is her secret girlfriend. The houses of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw are duking it out in the school's quidditch finals. During the game while Emma's after the snitch she falls off her broom and hits the ground (also catching the snitch as she's falling) Regina apparates to her and is all in a panic and ends up kissing Emma in front of everyone. That'd be a good one."

“That’s 150 to 160, Ravenclaw’s got the advantage! Come on Gryffindor!” David Nolan, seventh year Gryffindor shouts. A tall, strapping boy, one would have expected him to play on the Quidditch team, but he had more fun announcing than he did playing.

Regina Mills, sixth year Ravenclaw, sits a few rows away from him, clutching her hands worriedly. She’s not much for sports, but her girlfriend Emma Swan, a fellow sixth year, is the seeker for the Gryffindor team. Unfortunately, Cora Mills does not approve of her daughter’s homosexuality. When she’d brought it up one night over dinner, purely as a hypothetical, she’d been smacked so hard she was seeing stars. So, for the time being, Emma and Regina kept their relationship secret, lest word get to the formidable elder Mills.

“C’mon,” she whispers, so low only her best friend Kathryn, a Hufflepuff, can hear her. Kathryn is the only one to know of Emma and Regina’s relationship, and it’s only because she’d walked in on them kissing behind a tapestry. “Finish this!” she hisses.

Regina had never been much for sports, but she especially hates watching her girlfriend play. Or, rather, she doesn’t actually _hate_ it. It’s more like an intense anxiety: quidditch is an extraordinarily violent game, and every moment Emma is flying hundred of feet above the air, she is on edge. She flies even higher now, circling slowly as she looks around for the snitch. She looks like a goddess, the sun reflecting off her beautiful blond hair, pulled back in a sensible braid. She radiates power, even from this far away, and her expression is fierce, and determined.

“Regina, take a breath, it’ll be fine,” Kathryn whispers. Regina rolls her eyes, but makes an effort to breathe deeper.

“Oh, and it’s Mulloch with the Quaffle! She’s dodged the beaters, and the chasers. All that’s left is the keeper now! And- nice save by Ravenclaw keeper McGeorge. Better luck next time, Gryffindor,” David continues. “Oh, look at that! Gryffindor seeker seems to have seen something up in the sky!”

“Oh God,” Regina groans, standing up with the rest of the crowd. Emma is shooting up through the clouds, climbing higher and higher. The Ravenclaw seeker, a scrawny fourth year named Killian, shoots up after her, but Emma is too fast.

“She’s closing in on it! And- it looks like- yes! She’s got it! Gryffindor’s won the cu- OH!” he shouts in fear. Regina shrieks. One of the beaters for the Ravenclaw team had sent a bludger at Emma to try and stop her, but it didn’t hit her until the snitch had been caught. Unsuspecting, mid-celebration, the bludger struck her and she fell without control.

“No!” Regina cries, watching as Emma’s broom spun away from her. Different players from both sides tried to catch her, or slow her fall, but she fell too fast.

“ _Arresto momentum,_ ” Professor Gold shouts, and she slows somewhat, but she still slams against the ground like a ragdoll. Before she’s aware of what she’s doing, Regina is shoving past people, sprinting down the stairs as fast as her legs will carry her.

“Regina,” Kathryn calls, but she is already sprinting across the field, her feet pounding against the hard, packed earth. She is not the first to reach Emma, but she is the first to kneel down next to her. The other players had just formed a loose circle around her, terrified to get too close.

“Swan, I swear to God, if you don’t wake up,” Regina gasps, grabbing Emma’s hand. She has enough presence of mind not to move her neck when she may have an injury. “If I never get a chance to tell you ‘I told you so’ about this being a ridiculously dangerous game, I will _kill_ you!” she shrieks, hysterical. The teachers are arriving now.

“Regina,” Kathryn warns, but Regina just snarls at her.

“Emma Swan, wake up!” she shouts again.

“Regina,” Professor Gold says firmly.

“No!” Regina protests as he tries to push her aside. “No, I love her!” she shouts. Afterward, she’d remember the gasps, murmurs, and giggles running through the audience when she leans in to press a kiss to Emma’s forehead, but in that moment, all that matters is Emma. All that matters is that she wakes up. They hadn’t said those three words yet, but now the entire school knew. And Emma had to know, too.

“Regina, come on, let him get her to Madame Pomfrey. We’ll visit her later,” Kathryn whispers, yanking Regina roughly. She reluctantly lets go of Emma’s hand, watching as Gold levitates her. The braid hangs limply, but she no longer radiates like a goddess.

“Kathryn,” Regina whimpers, her legs giving out. Luckily, Kathryn had dragged her away from the mob, so that when she falls, there aren’t as many people around. It suddenly occurs to her: what if Emma doesn’t wake up? There are some things even magic can’t heal.

“Hey, Mills!” a voice shouts, approaching quickly.

“Not now, Lucas,” Kathryn growls, moving to stand in front of Regina protectively.

“You’re the reason Emma’s been so much happier?” Ruby asks, ignoring Kathryn. “Thank you.” Regina just whimpers, consumed with thoughts of Emma, lying still, cold, and unmoving. She touches her face, and her hand is sticky. Is she bleeding? Oh God, it must be Emma’s blood. Emma’s bleeding? That’s not good.

“Hey, Regina?” Kathryn shouts. Regina gets the feeling this is not the first time her name has been called.

“I’ll help you get her somewhere quieter,” is the last thing she hears before everything goes dark.

 

“Regina?” a voice calls. Regina doesn’t want to open her eyes. She’s comfy, and warm. “Regina, babe,” the voice says again. Recognizing the voice, her eyes snapped open.

“Emma,” she grins, blinking sleepily. “You’re okay? They fixed you up fast.” Regina yawns, stretching. Emma was lying on the bed next to her in the hospital wing, no longer in her quidditch uniform, now in red and gold flannel pajamas. There are chocolates, and sweets and gifts at the end of Emma’s bed, but Regina’s bed is empty. She is still in her jeans and sweater, her Ravenclaw cloak draped over the chair next to her.

“Well, magic,” she smiles. “But you’ve been out for a while. Ruby told me what happened.” Her voice grows concerned now, and it all comes rushing back to Regina. Oh _god_ , she kissed Emma, declared her love for her in front of the entire school. _What will mother say?_

“Everything?” Regina asks. She’d wanted to be the one to first say “I love you” to Emma, but now she’s had that ripped from her. _Stupid Quidditch Final_ , she thinks mutinously.

“Well, she said some things I had to hear from you,” she shrugs, wincing. “Sorry, they said it’ll take my head a little longer to heal internally. I whacked it pretty hard.”

“I _told_ you Quidditch is a dangerous game,” Regina grumbles, pleased that Ruby had allowed Regina the ability to surprise Emma. Emma laughs, and it is the most wondrous sound, especially when she remembers how she felt when she thought Emma would die.

“Yeah, yeah, I guess you did. So, what did you want to tell me?” Emma asks. She props herself up on one elbow to turn and look at Regina. Regina smiles shyly.

“I-” she is interrupted by the shrieking of an owl. Wait, not just _any_ owl: it’s Agatha, the Mills family owl. She is a stern looking great horned owl, her eyes orange and narrowed as she swoops in an open window, flying circles around Regina before dropping a crisp, scarlet envelope onto her lap.

“No,” she whispers, reading her name written on the outside in her mother’s handwriting. She doesn’t want to touch it, knowing its contents, but the Howler has other ideas. It explodes in a puff of fire and smoke, and begins to shout.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send in any prompts you want to see! And pairings! (Swan Queen is my OTP but I'd be willing to do most others, too)


	7. Expectations (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This is our first year in hogwarts and i found you crying in the hallway because you wanted to be sorted in Ravenclaw but instead you got in another one which by the way is my house too”

Ruby is wandering the castle, trying to get her bearings, when she hears it.

She’s always had really good hearing, courtesy of her grandmother. Her mother had died when she was a kid, and her father had never been in the picture, so she’d been raised by her grandmother, a no-nonsense old woman who sold sweets out of the bakery they lived above, and running the adjacent inn. When she’d received her Hogwarts letter, Ruby had been thrilled to get out of her little town.

The previous night she’d been sorted into Gryffindor almost immediately, the hat whispering about her thirst for adventure, and nobility. She’d stayed up for a few hours, chatting with her dorm mates: a pretty blond girl named Emma, who came from a Muggle orphanage, an Asian girl named Mulan who seemed strong, and rigid, and a little bit of a goody-two shoes, a red-head with wild curls and a thick Scottish accent named Merida, and a quiet girl named Belle, who hadn’t spoken the whole night. Early in the morning, while the whole house still slept, she woke to go explore, and get her bearings of the castle before classes started on Monday. She’d been passing by a tapestry when she hears it.

“Hello?” she calls out, cringing as her voice echoes along the corridor. The sniffling stops. She yanks the tapestry back to find a secret passageway- _cool, gonna have to remember that for late_ r, she thinks to herself- only to find Belle, the quiet girl from her dorm, huddled against the wall, crying. She was still in her yellow pajamas, clutching the dorm blanket around her shoulders. Her blue eyes sparkled with tears, and her dark brown curls were tousled from sleep. “Hey, what’s wrong?” Ruby asked, kneeling down next to her. “You’re Belle, right? I’m Ruby, from the dorm?”

“I-I-I, um, it’s nothing,” she whimpers, and Ruby smiles, hearing her Australian ( _is it Australian? Or something else?_ she wonders) accent. She hadn’t heard it last night, probably because Belle hadn’t spoken, and gone straight to bed.

“You’re crying behind a tapestry. Obviously it’s something,” she grins cheekily, trying to make Belle smile. It doesn’t work. “Come on, please, just tell me. I don’t want you to be sad.”

“I just… I didn’t want to be in Gryffindor,” she whispers, staring at her hands. She drags her sleeve across her nose.

“What? Why not? Gryffindor’s for the brave people! Don’t you wanna go on adventures, and save people, and stuff?” Ruby says, bouncing as she describes Gryffindor. Ever since she was a kid, she’d wanted to be in Gryffindor, especially once finding out most of her family had been in it. It was an honorable house. “What better house is there?”

“M-my mum was in Ravenclaw, and she always taught me to value my intelligence, and never stop learning,” Belle says, her voice wobbling. “She, um, s-she d-died when I was 9. I thought being in Ravenclaw would make me feel c-closer to her,” she continues, and the tears begin to fall faster now. “I guess I wasn’t smart enough.”

“Hey, just because you aren’t in Ravenclaw doesn’t mean you aren’t smart,” Ruby protests. “And, um, I’m sorry about your mom, but you can feel close to her every time you learn something new. And, um, and you can still be wise, even if you’re not in Ravenclaw,” she continues, desperately trying to cheer Belle up. She puts a hand on her shoulder, and Belle immediately throws herself at Ruby, wrapping her arms around her, shaking with the strength of her sobs. Ruby tightens the embrace, pulling the smaller girl practically onto her lap as she tries to comfort her.

“Hey, um, it’s okay,” Ruby says, patting Belle’s back.

“I-I-I’m sorry,” she whimpers. “I just, I miss my mum,” she cries.

“I know,” Ruby whispers, even though she doesn’t even remember her own mother. “But, I bet as a Ravenclaw, she spent a lot of time in the library. You’ll probably feel pretty close to her there, and we can ask if any teachers remember her.”

“You’d do that?” Belle sniffs, looking up at Ruby. She grins toothily, nodding.

“Of course. But only if you promise to give Gryffindor a chance, and if you ever get sad, or homesick, come talk to me, or some of our other roommates. They aren’t so bad,” Ruby says softly. Belle nods, smiling, shifting off of Ruby’s lap. Ruby, in turn, stands, holding out a hand to help Belle up.

“Where are we going?” Belle asks, readjusting the blanket. When she stands, Ruby sees she’s wearing blue fluffy slippers. She smiles, keeping Belle’s hand in hers, taking her back out into the corridor.

“To find the library, and learn how to get around this school,” Ruby informs her. Belle giggles, allowing herself to be pulled along by Ruby, insisting they go back so she can change. When they finally find their way to the library, Belle thinks to herself, watching Ruby’s expression as they walk through the stacks, _maybe Gryffindor won’t be so bad_.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews! Prompts! Give me anything!


	8. Amortentia (Killian and James)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remember James? The original prince? David's twin? He died trying to slay a dragon for Midas, or something? And Jacqulyn (Jack) the giant killer? Well, these characters make a comeback in this chapter! Based on the prompt:
> 
> "Oops i accidentally gave you the glass with love potion and it really wasn’t for you please stop trying to kiss me”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for slightly dubious consent (using amortentia to get a girl to be with him)

It had been a stupid dare, a game he wanted to play with her.

Jacqulyn, more commonly known as Jack, was James’ fellow sixth year Slytherin, and his partner in Advance Potions. They’d had an intense flirtationship ever since their fourth year, and had shared many drunken kisses during parties. But James wanted more. He’d been talking with his friend Killian over a stolen bottle of firewhiskey one night, and gotten it in their heads to dabble with Amortentia.

Killian wanted to use some on a fifth year Gryffindor named Emma Swan that he wanted to take to bed. She was a goody-two shoes who hung out with James’ twin David (another goody-two shoes Gryffindor) and his fifth year girlfriend, a Hufflepuff named Mary Margaret. James was planning on using it on Jack. He figured that it would be a good story for how they got together. So the morning after they sobered up (or rather, the afternoon), they snuck into the Potions classroom and stole some of the amortentia.

That was a week ago, and they had finally worked up the courage to do it. Killian was planning on doing it that night, so that he could be James’ wingman. It was a Saturday, so James planned on doing this during breakfast so he could have all day with Jack. Killian poured all of their pumpkin juice and James added the amortentia when he saw her enter the Great Hall.

“Jack!” he calls out, waving her over to sit with them. She grins, jogging towards them. Before she even sits down, James is reaching for the pumpkin juice. “Have a drink,” he grins. She shrugs, taking a swig.

“Not much for pumpkin juice, J, you know that,” she grins. He waits for the potion to take effect, taking a sip of his own glass, but nothing happens. Her eyes don’t glaze over, she doesn’t start to take her clothes off, she doesn’t even look at him. She just starts to fill her plate. Isn’t this stuff supposed to be fast-acting?

“James,” a voice whispers from behind him. He turns to see Killian looking at him, a strange expression on his face. His eyes are unfocused, and his voice is breathy and high-pitched. Without warning, Killian surges forward, making as if to kiss James. He stands up, leaving Killian to fall face-first onto the bench.

“What the hell, man?” he says, a little too loudly. Half to Great Hall turns to stare. He wants to die right there; they had gotten the glasses switched around, and Killian must have had the potion.

“James, I’m in love with you,” Killian shouts, standing up and following James as he backs up. Everyone gasps, and he hears more than a few giggles.

“Killian, leave me alone,” James shouts. “I swear to God, if you come any closer-”

“James, it’s like, like I’m finally seeing clearly. I don’t want to hide it any more,” Killian interrupts.

“Killian, it’s just a potion,” James insists, planting his feet as his back hits the wall. Killian leans in again, and James balls up his fist, hitting him square in the jaw. He falls to the floor, slamming his head on the ground, falling unconscious. The whole Hall stares in shocked silence.

“You all saw that: he was asking for it,” James calls out, staring at everyone. No one says anything. “I had to do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send in reviews! Send in prompts!


	9. Double Dates (Red Beauty and Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the prompt from Em:
> 
> "Swan Queen and Red Beauty double date in the room of requirement"

“Why can’t we just go on our _own_ date,” Ruby moans. She trails her fingers up Belle’s thigh, grinning devilishly as Belle shivers. She pouts when Belle shoves her hand away.

“Because, Emma is nervous, and she is _our_ friend. This is their first real date, and they asked us to be there. Plus, we promised,” Belle sighs. Ruby releases an exaggerated sigh.

“What are we even going to _do_ in the room of requirement? Is Emma setting up, like, a fancy dinner, or something? Do I have to look nice for this?” Ruby whines.

Just then, the door to the seventh year girl’s dorm slams open. Their redheaded roommate Ariel giggles when she sees Belle and Ruby intertwined on Ruby’s bed. She was a sweet girl, but very talkative, and incapable of taking a hint.

“Oh, oops, sorry. Emma and Regina were looking for you guys. I guess I’ll tell them you’re not ready yet,” Ariel giggles, disappearing back down to the common room. Ruby just rolls her eyes and moves to kiss Belle’s neck, but Belle is already moving to stand up and get dressed.

 

Ruby had ended up throwing on a pair of jeans with her Quidditch sweatshirt (she’s been Gryffindor’s beater since third year, and captain since last year). Belle tried a little harder ( _doesn’t she always?_ Ruby thinks to herself), wearing a light blue _sun_ _dress_. Ruby had questioned her choice for a _sundress_ , considering they were in Scotland, and it was currently pouring, and probably close to freezing. But Belle insisted that they need the sun most when it’s dark, and rainy like this. Ruby had still been kissing her when the portrait opened on them. Emma stood on the other side, raising one eyebrow, unimpressed.

“We’ve been waiting fifteen minutes,” Regina informs them, tapping her foot.

“Could have gotten started without us,” Ruby shrugs. She almost wishes they had: then she could have convinced Belle to stay in the dorm and snuggle. Belle smacks her arm lightly.

“Sorry, Regina,” Belle apologizes for the both of them. Normally, Ruby would hate allowing someone else to speak for her, but she and Belle have been dating since third year, and they’re practically always in agreement, anyway.

They walk towards the Room of Requirement, making idle chitchat. Ruby tries to start a conversation about the upcoming quidditch match where Gryffindor will be facing Slytherin (Regina’s house), but Regina doesn’t pay attention to quidditch except to cheer on Emma as the Gryffindor keeper, so she doesn’t really contribute to the conversation. Thankfully, the walk is rather short, and in no time, Emma is walking past the blank wall three times, and a small wooden panelled door appears with a light _pop_.

“Whoa,” Ruby gasps. The entire floor is covered in a thick, cushy white carpet. A giant TV screen covers one wall. In the center of the room sits a large nest of blankets, and pillows. Ruby can smell popcorn popping, and looks around. Pressed against the far wall is a table with a popcorn machine, drinks, candy, and other snacks.

“I wanted to have movie night!” Emma exclaims brightly. Regina slips her shoes off and pads into the room. “Since Gina’s never gotten to see a movie…” Emma trails off, shrugging. Regina’s mother Cora was one of the few remaining wizards who staunchly believe that purebloods are superior. She raised Regina in her mansion “free of the muggle taint.” Regina had never seen a movie, been to a grocery store, or even seen a muggle. Emma, as a muggleborn raised in a muggle orphanage, felt it was her duty to introduce Regina to muggle things.

“Wicked,” Regina whispers reverently, staring at the screen. As she realizes she spoke out loud, she blushes, biting her lip. Emma throws her head back laughing, and grabs Regina’s hand, leaning in to kiss her cheek. The gesture is so familiar and intimate, that for a moment it feels as if they, too, had been dating since third year.

“I thought electricity doesn’t work around magic,” Belle scowls, as if insulted that her beloved _Hogwarts, A History_ was wrong.

“It does in the room of requirement,” Emma shrugs. “Now come on, are we gonna stand here, or watch movies?”

 

Two and a half hours later, and the credits for _Batman Begins_ are rolling.

Ruby and Belle had changed into matching red and gold flannel pajamas that the room had provided, so as to be more comfortable. The room had provided Regina with a pair of green silk pajamas (because, apparently, Mills women do not wear flannel). Emma, having known what this night entailed, had started out dressed in her Wimbourne Wasps pajamas.

At some point during the movie, Belle had fallen asleep laying on Ruby’s chest, one hand snaked around her girlfriend’s waist, the other resting on her heart. Ruby rested her cheek on Belle’s head. Emma had fallen asleep with her head on Regina’s shoulder, their hands clasped together in Regina’s lap. Regina glanced sideways over at Ruby.

“Can you start the next one?” she whispers quietly. Ruby nods; Belle is a heavy enough sleeper that she can stand, cradling Belle like a baby, and go put in the DVD for _The Dark Knight_. When she gets back, she puts Belle’s head back on her chest and pulls the blanket over them. Ruby closes her eyes, allowing Regina to enjoy the movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, send me reviews, and send me prompts! I am running low on inspiration, but want to keep going! Send me any prompt, any pairing (I can't say I'll be the best at Captain Swan or Outlaw Queen, but I will do my best!)


	10. Curiosity Killed the... Well, You Know (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I sneaked into your common room because i was curious and everybody is staring at me because i have different house’s uniform this is so embarrassing can you please pretend to know me”
> 
>  
> 
> Have some first year Red Beauty friendship!

Ruby Lucas has never known when to let things go.

She’s always been told this. Her granny used to tell her “curiosity killed the pup.” Ruby knows that’s not the original saying, but this is their own personal joke. Ruby’s mother had been a werewolf, and had accidentally bitten Ruby when she was barely a month old. She’d been shot by hunters while roaming in a nearby muggle village that same night. Ruby doesn’t even remember her, but she and granny still have little inside jokes about Ruby being a wolf.

So, when Ruby had gotten to Hogwarts a week ago, she’d gone insane, trying to explore everything. She had started the morning after she’d been sorted into Gryffindor. That first night, she’d focused on exploring Gryffindor tower, and bonding with her roommates (Emma Swan, a blonde orphan who was insanely nervous about starting school, Mary Margaret Blanchard, a rich little girl who missed her horses, Bella Tinkerman, a tiny blonde with a killer accent and a desire to be called “Tink,” and Merida Dunbroch, a fiery redhead with a thick Scottish accent). First thing that next morning, she’d started exploring the rest of the castle.

So now, a week later, she’s standing outside of Ravenclaw Tower, biting her thumbnail, considering her options. She’d already knocked, so she knew the question _(How is a raven like a writing desk?_ ). Ruby knew she’d heard that stupid riddle before, but she can’t remember the answer. Also, she’s not a Ravenclaw, so she shouldn’t really be sneaking into other houses, but she was curious.

“Do I answer? Should I do this? Oh, god, Granny what should I do?” Ruby mutters to herself.

 _How is a raven like a writing desk?_ the knocker asks again.

“It’s not! It’s not even… It’s not like a writing desk, except they both start with a rhotic ‘r’ sound!” Ruby shouts, annoyed. The knocker releases a musical note, and the door swings open. Ruby’s eyes widen, and she steps forward. What else can she do at this point? She goes through the door, into the common room. I mean, it’s a beautiful sunny Saturday. How many people are even going to be in the common room?

A lot.

Naturally, Ruby has to be wrong. The common room, (a beautiful circular room, but she doesn’t focus on this at the moment) is filled with people. Some are draped over arm chairs reading books. Others are playing chess. A few are practicing spells, and some are hunched over instruments, playing quietly in corners. The rest are cuddling with cats. All of them, however, are staring at Ruby. Her eyes widen, and she watches all of their gazes sweep down to look at her uniform.

 _Crap_. She was still wearing her Gryffindor robes, and everyone else here was Ravenclaw. God, no wonder she wasn’t a Ravenclaw: she’s so _stupid_.

“Uh, hi,” Ruby squeaks. As she’s frantically looking around, she locks eyes with a girl she recognizes from Charms class. Her big blue eyes widen in response to the sight of Ruby.

“Hi, Ruby! So sorry, I must have forgotten,” the girl shouts in response. “I thought we were… meeting later?” She stands up, and Ruby bites her lip. She’d never heard this girl speak before, but her accent is mesmerizing. “Ruby?” Ruby shakes her head.

“Uh, yeah, sorry. We… must have gotten wires crossed,” Ruby ad libs. She’s not really good at making things up on the fly.

“Belle,” an older boy says, grabbing her arm, “next time, tell your little friend to wait _outside_ the common room.” Belle nods, pulling her arm away.

“Come on, Ruby,” the girl, Belle, smiles, taking Ruby by the crook of her arm. They walk like that until they turn down a different corridor.

“Thank you,” Ruby gasps, wanting to cry she’s so embarrassed. She just _broke into another common room_ , and had to be rescued by a girl from Charm’s class whose name she didn’t even know until that moment!

“No problem. We girls have to stick together, right?” She laughs, and Ruby smiles. “I’m Belle, Belle French. We’re in Charms together.”

“Yeah, yeah we do. Ruby Lucas,” she grins. “So, where do you wanna go? If we wanna keep up our cover story, we have to actually hang out.”

“Have you seen the library? It’s amazing!” Belle gushes. The entire way there, Ruby laughs, grinning at Belle as she describes the awe-inspiring amount of books, life growing up as a half-blood in a muggle village, and her father’s flower shop. Ruby had never been much of a reader, but now, with Belle, she’s thinking she might become one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've got prompts, send them right in! I'm running low on inspiration and ideas!


	11. Triwizard Tournament (or, The White Knight) (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Could u do one where Emma's in the triwizard tournament and so is robin and Emma's been wanting to ask Regina out and so she decides to ask her to the unity ball but robin beats her to it and so all during the dance Emma can't take her eyes off Regina while she dances with Marian (robins ex) and when Robin gets a little handsy Emma steps in and ends up spending the rest of the night with Regina. Also Emma has to be wearing a white muggle tux that mcgonigal enchants to glow when she sees Emma rescue regina cause Emma is known as the white knight around Hogwarts. (feel free to change whatever)."
> 
>  
> 
> Big thanks to DisturbingVision for the prompt!

“Oooh, someone’s in _love_ ,” Ruby teases in a singsong voice. Emma shoves her away, but continues staring across the Great Hall at her.

They’re at the Yule Ball, and Emma, the Gryffindor champion, is staring across the Great Hall. After the fiasco after the last Triwizard Tournament, the school staff decided not to host it, or participate in it, again. After the Great Battle in 1998, some vocal students argued for the reinstatement of the practice. It was decided that the school would host an Inter-house Tournament every four years, with one champion from each house. This year, Emma was the Gryffindor champion, Robin Hood was the Slytherin champion, Belle French was the Ravenclaw champion, and Mulan Fah was the Hufflepuff champion.

“I am not,” Emma replies. But she doesn’t look away from the girl across the hall.

“Look at that: the White Knight can _blush_ ,” Belle teases. In the first task, Emma had sacrificed her first place lead to help an injured Belle, garnering the nickname “white knight.”

“Emma, why are you even here with Marian? She’s not the one you’re watching,” Ruby points out, slipping her arm around Belle’s waist. They’d been dating since third year, so this ball was a no-brainer for them.

“Marian is… sweet,” Emma defends. But even she knows that she’s not persuading anyone. Emma had hesitated, screwed around trying to gather her courage for far too long. By the time she got up the nerve to ask the girl she _really_ wanted, Robin had already asked her. So, Emma decided to bring Marian, a younger student who couldn’t have gone without a date. Of course, the fact that she was Robin’s ex-girlfriend who broke his heart had _nothing_ to do with her decision.

“Marian is thirteen, a child. She’s not the one you’re watching, and everyone knows it,” Belle tells her. “You’re watching Regina, and it’s a little painful to watch.”

“Painful?” Emma mumbles, thinking about Regina Mills. She was a sixth year, like Emma, but a Slytherin. Emma didn’t know how someone so beautiful, powerful, and kind could be in Slytherin, but that was a question for the hat. Her hair was curled, pulled to the side of her neck. And, _oh God_ , the dress! It’s a tight red fabric that draped out behind her when she walked, and the neckline was jeweled, matching the sleeves and a loose belt. Emma was watching every curve move along in time with the music, and she had been ever since the four champions opened up the dance floor.

“She means pathetic,” Ruby adds. “And depressing. Either make a move, or don’t, but stop watching.”

“Fine,” Emma says, and she stands. She walks in the opposite direction of Regina to find Marian talking to someone, gesturing wildly with her hands. “It’s a ball. You should dance,” Emma smiles gently. The songs were fast enough that the dance held no romantic significance, so Marian followed happily, bouncing around with Emma as the blonde tried to stop watching Regina.

She realized after an hour that she had never really stopped watching.

Even when she was dancing with her arms around Marian’s neck (a respectable, platonic distance away since Marian is so young), Emma’s eyes were glued to Regina. She watched as Robin danced with her pressed against him. She watched as Regina tried to pull away. She watched as his grip grew tighter. She watched as Regina started to panic, flapping her hands wildly.

“Marian, I’m sorry, I have to go,” Emma says quickly, easily maneuvering around the dance floor. With the romantic slow song, most people were taking a break from dancing. If she were focusing, she’d have felt the gaze of nearly every person in the room, particularly the one of Headmistress McGonagall, watching from the front table.

“Oh, Gina,” he groans with his lips still pressed to hers. Now that she’s closer, Emma can see how Regina’s eyes are wide open, silently screaming. She tries to speak, pulling away.

“Robin, no,” is all she gets out.

“Shut up. I took you here,” he growls, kissing her again.

“Hey, buddy, she said no,” Emma says, putting a hand on his shoulder. He yanks away from Emma, pulling Regina with him. He puts one hand on the small of her back, possessively, and the other rests on her ass, squeezing it as he glares at Emma.

“Nobody asked you.”

“Robin, does she look like she wants you?” Emma says, smirking. “Look, don’t make an ass of yourself. Let her go, and find someone who _does_ want you.”

“You have no _business_ here, Swan. Get out.”

“Robin,” Regina says, reaching to pull his hands away from her. He responds by grabbing her wrists, shaking them in front of her face. This is the last thing Emma will take. Thankful for her muggle orphan siblings who taught her how to fight, she balls her fist, and swings, connecting with his jaw.

“Oh what the _fuck_ , you bitch,” Robin growls. But he’s finally let go of Regina and is holding his jaw.

“Come on, Regina,” Emma says, gently taking the girl by the elbow. As they cross the dance floor, Regina leans in to whisper to Emma.

“Ms. Swan, you’re glowing.”

“Nah,” Emma laughs. “I mean, I like giving a douche what’s coming to him as much as the next guy, but I wouldn’t say I’m glowing.”

“No, you’re literally _glowing_ ,” Regina whispers, grabbing Emma’s wrist. She pulls her arm up to Emma’s face. Her white tuxedo, something Ruby had insisted on since she’s the ‘white knight,’ was emitting a soft, gentle glow. In the darkened room, she stood out like a sore thumb. There is no doubt in Emma’s mind that it was McGonagall; the older witch was rumored to be the one who had started the ‘white knight’ nickname.

“Well, damn,” Emma smirks. “Cool.” Regina just laughs, taking Emma’s arm as they cross the hall to where Ruby and Belle sit grinning, nudging each other.

They spent the rest of the night together.

They danced through most of the songs, carefully avoiding Robin and his band of merry men. Emma discovered that the Sorting Hat had been ready to put Regina in Ravenclaw, but Regina was so afraid of her mother’s reaction, and convinced the hat to put her in Slytherin. Regina learned that Emma learned how to hit like that when she was ten, and a man on the street had tried to grapple with her. An older brother had punched the man, knocking him out, and Emma had begged him to teach her.

The night is just about ending when a slower song plays.

“Dance with me,” Emma finally asks, pulling Regina to her feet. Regina nods shyly, putting her hands around Emma’s neck as Emma’s hands settle on her waist. “Tonight was fun,” she says softly. Regina blushes, biting her lip.

“Especially after you hit Robin. Did I ever thank you?”

“About… thirteen times, maybe?” Emma teases.

“Make it fourteen,” Regina jokes. “But really, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Emma sighs, leaning in. Regina leans her head on Emma’s shoulder, and after a few minutes, the song ends. “Come on, I’ll take you back to your common room.”

“Always the gallant, white knight. My _savior_ ,” Regina sighs, looping her arm in Emma’s. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Oh, but I do. See, McGonagall started this rumor, and then everyone starts calling me a white knight. I have to live up to my reputation,” Emma quips, strolling leisurely through the halls.

“McGonagall didn’t start that,” Regina says with a smile. “I did. I commented to my friend Kathryn, but McGonagall was nearby. She laughed, thought it was funny, and started telling everyone.”

“So, I have you to thank,” Emma nods somberly.

“Indeed,” Regina says, giggling. As they walk, she leans her head against Emma’s shoulder. All too soon, they’re standing outside the entrance to the Slytherin common rooms. “This was nice,” Regina sighs.

“Very nice,” Emma agrees. Neither one of them wants the night to end.

“What are you doing tomorrow around, say, six?” Regina finally says, toying with the few curls that had escaped from Emma’s pony tail.

“Mmmm, nothing,” Emma shrugs.

“You should take me on a date.”

“Should I? I don’t know,” Emma says playfully.

“Fine. Maybe I’ll go out with _Marian_ ,” Regina teases. Emma blushes.

“Hey! She’s sweet, and-”

“And a child,” Regina interrupts.

“And you were already going with Robin,” Emma corrects.

“Should’ve asked me sooner,” Regina shrugs.

“I’m asking you now,” Emma says. “Isn’t that enough?” Regina smiles, nodding foolishly.

“It’s perfect,” Regina whispers. Emma leans in, kissing her forehead.

“I don’t kiss on a first date,” Emma explains, seeing Regina’s pout.

“First date?”

“Dinner, dancing, conversation. What else would you call it?”

“Fine, it was a first date. So, what’s your policy about kissing on the _second_ date?”

“You’ll have to wait and see,” Emma laughs. “Tomorrow, six o’clock. Be right here.”

“Okay,” Regina nods. Emma hugs her goodbye before leaving, and it is a little disappointing, but she doesn’t want to rush things with Regina. Hell, she’s been head over heels for her since fourth year. What’s another twenty four hours?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have a prompt, or even a pairing you'd like to see, send it in!


	12. Private Lessons (Snowing)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m supposed to teach you how to play quidditch and first of all your position is wrong here let me help you”
> 
> In which Snow is a bratty spoiled fourth year Gryffindor, and David is fifth year Gryffindor keeper

David sighed. McGonagall had asked him to help some fourth year learn how to play quidditch. Apparently, she didn’t really want to play on the Gryffindor team, she just wanted to learn how to use her new broom. David, the fifth year keeper for Gryffindor, could never say no to a personal request from a teacher. So, on Friday afternoon, he showed up at the pitch with his broom over his shoulder, and a practice quaffle under his arm.

“Hi! Are you David? I’m Mary Margaret! Professor McGonagall said you’d be helping me!” A high, feminine voice asks. David turns to see a small girl running towards him, tripping over her robes, her broom tucked under her arm. Her long black hair was pulled back in two braids. In the cold Scottish morning, her pale cheeks were turning red.

“Uh, yeah. Hi,” David says awkwardly. “So, you want to learn how to play Quidditch?”

“I guess, yeah! See, I just had my birthday, and my daddy sent me this broom. But I don’t really know how to fly. I figured I should learn,” she shrugs happily, holding out the broom. David’s eyes nearly pop out of his head.

“Th-that’s a Firebolt 360! That’s not even for sale yet! The Wimbourne Wasps just ordered seven of these,” he gasps. Mary Margaret shrugs.

“He’s a part-owner of the company. He brings home products all the time,” she explains. “So, how do I play?” David is still looking at the broom, tracing its sleek edges, when he shakes himself out of his stupor.

“Oh, uh, yeah. First, show me how you ride a broom. We’ve got to get you in the air before you learn the intricacies of the game,” he says. She nods, holding her broom out and swinging one leg over. David raises one eyebrow. “First of all, your position is wrong. You shouldn’t be so far up. See, there’s a little notch in the wood that forms a more comfortable seat. Scoot back.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess that is better,” she laughs.

“Are you right-handed or left-handed?”

“Right.”

“So, that hand goes in front. Here, like this,” he explains. He comes up behind her, layering his hands on top of hers to show her the position. His body is flush against hers, and she leans into him.

“Like this?” she asks, turning to look at him. He nods, feeling his cheeks redden. “So, um, now what?”

“Now, I’m gonna let go, you’re going to kick off the ground, and just hover for a minute. Then, when you want to come down, lean forward a bit,” he explains.

“Okay,” she nods, though she frowns slightly when he pulls away and takes a step back.

“Kick off the ground now,” he reminds her, and she does. She lets out a little scream of fear when she’s off the ground. But she only hovers about a foot off the ground, and after a moment, she’s laughing.

“This is cool!” she giggles. “How do I go higher!”

“Well, you’d lean back a bit, but I wouldn’t do- hey!” he shouts. She leaned back too sharply and took off nearly straight up in the sky. She was screaming again now. He wants to roll his eyes at her, but he just hops on his own broom, kicking off. His Nimbus 2000 was a nice broom, but nowhere near as fast as her Firebolt 360, so he is chasing after her. They’re high above the ground, the pitch no more than a speck on the ground when she finally levels out, and he catches up.

“C-can’t breathe,” she gasps, and he can see her swaying on the broom.

“Air’s thinner this high up. Colder, too. Listen, I’m going to grab onto your broom to hold it steady. I’m going to bring you down with me, okay? Nice and slow. Just grab onto my shoulder,” he shouts to be heard over the wind. Thankfully, she nods, and grabs his shoulder. He takes them down slowly, so it takes nearly ten minutes to get back down, though it only took her two minutes to get that high in the first place.

“Oh God,” she gasps the moment her feet touch the ground. She lets her broom fall to the ground, her legs shaking, and she wraps her arms around him. Her nails are digging into his arms, and his sweater, but he doesn’t mind.

“I’ve got you,” he whispers, hugging her. “We’re on the ground. It’s okay,” he repeats. After a while, her legs stop shaking and she lets go of him.

“I never want to fly, ever again,” she whispers.

“Nah, you’ve got to get back on. Right now, actually. Get back on the horse, and all that,” he smiles at her.

“But what if I fall? What if, next time, you’re not there to help me back down to the ground?”

“You know, my mom had this saying. She was a muggle, so she didn’t know what quidditch was, but it works here. She used to say ‘never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game,’” he grins.

“What does that even mean?” she laughs.

“It means you have to pick up your broom, kick off the ground, and hover. Then, come right back down. We’ll work on getting higher and turning and control after that.” She nods and bends over to pick up the broom.

“You better not let me die,” she teases before she kicks off.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, princess,” he grins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send in prompts!


	13. Here Comes Trouble (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on this prompt from DisturbingVision
> 
> "Could you do a dark slytherin Emma who is the trouble maker of the school and Regina is the one who hosts detentions in her potions lab. (Regina's only a year older than Emma and Emma's in her 7th yr so it's not weird) and the only reason Emma gets in trouble is so she can spend time with Regina."

“We have to stop meeting like this, Miss Swan,” Regina says dryly. The grinning blonde just chuckles and plops herself down in the chair across from Regina’s desk. She’s been here so often that it almost seems to be “Emma’s chair”.

“You’d miss me too much, Professor Mills” Emma says with a smile. Regina rolls her eyes. She had only just graduated a year and a half ago. Normally, it would take longer to acquire the experience and training needed to be a professor at Hogwarts, but nearly the entire staff was retiring last year, so Regina had gotten the job of not only Potions professor, but also head of Slytherin house. Of course, she didn’t expect students to cause so much trouble. Emma was in her office for reprimanding almost every day.

“What was it this time, Miss Swan,” Regina sighs, leaning one elbow onto her desk to listen to Emma’s story.

“So, I may or may not have put a charm on one of the book shelves in the library, and all the books on it. When kids used them to do homework, or read, or whatever, their hair changed color,” Emma explains, smirking. Regina just shakes her head.

“You’re a seventh year, Miss Swan. You have to stop this foolishness. Do you know what your plans are for after this year?” Regina leans back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest as she raises an eyebrow. For most students, this face invokes fear, trembling, and often profuse apologies. Occasionally, when used improperly, it has caused tears. But Emma doesn’t even react.

“You can call me Emma, you know,” is all she says with a casual shrug. “I’m gonna be an Auror.”

“Alright, Em-ma,” Regina says, narrowing her eyes as she emphasizes each syllable. “You want to be an Auror? That’s not easy. And they don’t like troublemakers in the Auror program. Why do you keep doing things like this?” Emma shrugs.

“So, when’s my detention? Tomorrow, say, five?” Emma says as she makes to stand. Regina narrows her eyes.

“ _Sit_ ,” she says sternly, pointing back to the seat. Emma pouts, sitting back down. “I asked you a question, dear. Why do you keep pulling these stunts?”

“They’re fun,” Emma mumbles, her cheeks getting red. Regina raises one eyebrow and Emma squirms in her seat. “And I like trying to surprise you, keep you on your toes, you know?” she adds.

“Miss Swa-”

“Call me Emma! I’m barely even two years younger than you. Plus, it’s really hard to think about how hot you are when you treat me like a student,” Emma shrieks, standing up. She begins to pace around the small office, biting her thumbnail nervously.

“Miss, uh, I mean, Emma,” Regina says, startled. Emma interrupts, speaking quickly.

“You were only two years ahead of me. When I was a third year, you were the prefect I looked up to. I tried to be the best student, tried to impress you. But you were dating that Daniel kid. Then, lo and behold, you come back, single, and still hot. It was kind of like a second chance for me. So, I’ve been trying to spend more time with you. And, like, I keep trying to work up the courage to tell you, but then I think about how you’re my teacher, and it’s five levels of wrong, but damnit I can’t stop thinking about you!”

“Emma!” Regina interrupts her frantic babbling. Emma stops in her tracks, turning to face Emma, her eyes shining with the tears building up. “You’re right. I _am_ your teacher. I can’t do this while I’m your teacher.”

“Right,” Emma mumbles, turning to leave. Regina stands and grabs her wrist.

“I remember you, you know. When you were a first year, you were this tiny little thing. So scared of everything, and nervous. We thought it must be a mistake that you were sorted into Slytherin,” Regina says softly, smiling gently. “We heard you were an orphan, and I figured those survival instincts you learned in the system overlapped with Slytherin traits.” Emma sits back down, and Regina sits in the chair next to her as opposed to behind the desk.

“I didn’t think you really knew I existed,” Emma says quietly, drawing her knees into her chest.

“Of course I did. Especially once you started making friends with Mary Margaret Blanchard, and David Nolan, third year power couple. And Ruby? You made friends with Gryffindors, _and_ people older than you? You were pretty notable,” Regina chuckles.

“Ruby’s my age,” Emma shrugs.

“When you were thirteen, I really started to notice you. My friend Mal told me I was being creepy, keeping tabs on a younger girl. Remember when you were trying to improve your flying skills to get on the Quidditch team? And you fell, knocked your head on the way down?”

“How can I forget?” Emma laughs, and wipes the tears away.

“I was the only one around. It was so cold, and about to rain, so most people were inside. But I went out to make sure you weren’t being an idiot. When I found out you were, I brought you up to the hospital wing.”

“That was you?” Emma asks.

“I asked Madame Pomfrey not to tell you,” Regina admits. “But I had to make sure you were okay. I visited you at night, when you were asleep, after your hordes of fans were gone. But, my point is, I want this with you, I do.”

“I can hear the ‘but’ coming,” Emma whispers.

“ _But_ ,” Regina says with a small smile, “I am currently your teacher, and it’s inappropriate. So, you should stop making all this trouble. If you want to see me, feel free to come to my office. It’s a hard process to become an Auror, and I’d be happy to help you.”

“I’m gonna take you up on that,” Emma warns her jokingly.

“That’s why I offered,” Regina says. She stands, helping Emma up to her feet. Emma goes in for a hug, and Regina hesitantly takes up the offer, cutting it off much too quickly for Emma’s liking.

“Bye, Professor Mills,” Emma says, leaving the office.

“That detention, tomorrow, five o’clock. We’ll be working in the potions cupboard, organizing everything,” Regina reminds her. Emma just laughs as she runs down the hallway. Regina rolls her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading! And thanks for reviewing *hint hint*. Prompts are always appreciated, and let me know of any pairings you want to see!


	14. Distractions, Decisions, and Fighting Dirty (Dragon Queen and Sea Devil)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Sea Devil/ Dragon Queen fic based on this prompt from Commonswift:
> 
>  
> 
> David\Hook\Robin (whoever) had the brilliant idea to catch Daniel's ring (they caught the necklace, Daniel is dead) during a Quidditch match and throw it in the Forbidden forest hoping to distract Regina from the snitch cause their seeker got a boulder to the face and it's out of commission, but Regina goes after it anyway to do not disappoint Maleficent and her house, because it's the decisive match for the Quidditch cup. However after the match is over and everyone is busy celebrating she ventures in the Forbidden Forest to look for the ring, Maleficent, Cruella & Ursula go after her when they notice the girl missing.

_Focus. Speed. Precision. I am a machine, and I can do anything. Nothing else matters. Find the Snitch. Find it now, end the game, win the Cup. Nothing else matters,_ Regina chants to herself. Hundreds of feet above the stadium, she circles, her hawk-like gaze intent on finding the Golden Snitch. It’s up to her to do it, especially since the Slytherin team is 10 points behind. The Gryffindor Seeker, Emma Swan, took a bludger to the face and is out of commission. The other boys on the team had been trying to distract Regina and buy more time for them to win the game, but she was too focused. She takes one moment to close her eyes and grabs for the small bronze ring around her neck.

“Keep this close to your heart, and I’ll always be there,” Daniel had said. He died not a few days after giving her this ring when his ship went down in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. He had been a magizoologist, searching the seas for new creatures. Daniel and Regina had started dating when he was a seventh year, and she was a fourth year. Now, in her seventh year, she had accepted his death, and opened her heart to the possibility of new love. But still, she kept his ring close to her heart, to remember him.

“Sleeping on the job, Mills?” Robin taunts. He and David, Gryffindor chaser, and beater, respectively, circle around her, leering.

“So arrogant,” David adds. Regina just rolls her eyes, flying away from them. She doesn’t understand how the rest of the school thinks the world of them. They’re brats, and despite their supposed ‘moral codes of honor,’ they fight dirtier than anyone else in Quidditch matches. In her haste to escape from them, she leaves her necklace outside of her uniform in plain view of the boys.

“What’s that?” Robin calls mockingly; everyone knew about her ring, and her relationship with Daniel. He lunges forward, breaking the necklace off the chain.

“Hey!” Regina says angrily, but they fly away, staring at the ring, swinging it around on the chain.

“Hey, you’re a Seeker,” Robin grins meanly. He rockets off, and Regina chases him as he flies over the Forbidden Forest. “Seek this!” He laughs as he throws it into the forest before rushing back over to the pitch. Regina whimpers, hovering above the forbidden forest. She desperately wants to go find the ring, and she needs it. But, she can hear the roar of the school at the pitch, and she can’t bail on the final match.

With an angry, bitter heart, she turns back toward the pitch.

 

“And Slytherin has won the cup! Slytherin has won it!” the announcer shouts. Regina grins, brandishing the Snitch. She stays as the team lifts her up on their shoulders, laughs along to rallying cries about a party in the common room, and signals to her friends that she’ll be there once she’s finished up in the locker room. Of course, she doesn’t go straight to the common room.

 

Mal is the first to notice Regina isn’t there.

“It’s been an hour since the rest of the team got back,” she shouts to Cruella and Ursula. The pair had been dating for nearly a year now, and were always scheming together.

“She’s probably fine,” Cruella assures Mal.

“I’m gonna go find her. She was really upset that she lost that ring,” Mal replies. Ursula and Cruella roll their eyes, following closely after her.

 

“I will _kill_ David,” Regina mutters. “And Robin. Slowly.” She crouches under the low hanging branches, shining her wand over the ground, searching for the tell tale glint of her ring. She tried to recreate where he had thrown the ring, and was now deep in the Forbidden Forest. The thick shelter of branches and leaves obscure any remaining daylight, and the branches rustled ominously in the breeze. She recalls rumors of werewolves living in the forest, and giant acromantula, and she can hear the hoofs clattering marking the passing of the centaurs. But none of this scares her more than the prospect of losing that ring.

She is so focused on searching for the ring, that she doesn’t hear the approaching footsteps, the sound of branches breaking underfoot.

“Gina, it’s okay,” Mal whispers, putting a hand on her shoulder. Regina jumps, crying out as she whirls around.

“Where did you guys come from?” Regina asks breathlessly one hand on her heart to try and calm its racing.

“Did you find it?” Cruella asks gently.

“No! It’s one small ring in a giant ass forest. Of course I didn’t find it!” she wails. Ursula raises one eyebrow looking at Cruella.

“ _Accio_ _ring_ ,” she whispers. She ducks as the ring comes flying from behind her, nearly smacking her in the ear. “Here you go, dear,” Ursula says gently, handing Regina the ring.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Regina moans. She takes the ring and fixes the clasp with a silent _reparo_. “Thank you, Ursula.”

“Nothing to it, my dear. Now, there is a _fabulous_ party in the common room, and I heard someone was smuggling in firewhiskey. So, if you don’t mind, Cruella and I’ll be off. See you there soon?” Regina nods as they leave, kissing her cheek briefly. Once they’re gone, Regina turns to Mal and smiles. Mal takes the necklace, gesturing for Regina to turn around.

“Have you been here the whole time?” she asks softly as she refastens the necklace. Regina shrugs and turns back around, looping her arm through Mal’s as they make their way out of the dark forest.

“I stopped to make sure the Swan girl wasn’t dead. She’s fine. Upset that they lost, but, she _was_ yelling at David and Robin when I passed by. So that was nice of her.” Mal snorts.

“I swear, you’re almost too thoughtful to be a Slytherin. You had to have almost been a Hufflepuff, right?” Regina pouts, shoving Mal’s shoulder playfully.

“Just because I find her to be an idiot, and annoying, and it was easier to win the game with her out doesn’t mean I’d want her dead. I didn’t actually _visit_ her, just made sure she was alive,” Regina explains defensively. “And I was _not_ almost a Hufflepuff; it was Ravenclaw.”

“Sure it was, Gina,” Mal mutters. Regina just rolls her eyes, resting her head on Mal’s shoulder as they leisurely make their way back to the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, please, please send in prompts, and pairings you want to see!!!


	15. Neither A Borrower Nor A Lender (Red Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because someone pointed out that I have yet to write Red Queen, and I was itching to write this prompt:
> 
> "Person A and B are in class. A, who left all of their quills at home, asks B to borrow one, and they oblige. When A tries to give B the quill back, they say “write me a letter with it first,” and so they do. 15 minutes later, they’re kissing in the hallway"

“Ugh, I forgot all of my quills,” Ruby groans as she looks through her bag.

“How do you leave without  _ any _ quills?” her best friend, Emma Swan teases.

“Mary Margaret’s sick, and she usually reminds me,” Ruby moans. “Do you have an extra, Em?” Regina rolls her eyes. Of course, of all the Gryffindors in this Charms class, she had to be paired up with them. They were sixth years, in an Advanced Charms class. Regina wanted to be a charm-maker, or work in the ministry regulating the creation of spells, so this class was right up her alley. Of course, it also meant she had to deal with all of the Gryffindors, like Emma and Ruby, who wanted to be Aurors. They weren’t terrible, just bothersome, and often distracting from the lesson.

“No, I only brought one!” Emma sighs. While Regina dips her quill in her ink, preparing to write the date, brainstorming ideas for their project, she sees Emma jerk her chin at Regina.

“I have a quill,” Regina says before either of them can ask. Ruby flushes as she takes it.

“Thanks so much, Regina! I’ll give it to you at the end of class.” In her excitement and gratitude, Ruby grabs Regina’s hand. Normally so put together, Regina gets flustered, pulling her hand away, knocking over the ink. She blushes as she cleans it up.

“Let’s get started,” she says simply, clearing her throat.

 

“Hey, Regina! Thanks again for letting me borrow the quill. I owe you one,” Ruby says once everyone has packed up. Regina cocks her head to the side, narrowing her eyes and smiling at Ruby.

“Don’t give it back just yet,” she says mischievously. Ruby is a little concerned. “Write me a letter with it first. I won’t take it back until you do, and then you’ll owe me none.” Knowing how Ruby always likes to repay her debts, Regina smiles triumphantly. Ruby flops back down in the desk as Regina makes her way to the Great Hall for lunch.

 

Fifteen minutes later, Ruby is standing behind Regina at the Ravenclaw table, grinning proudly as she brandishes her letter.

Regina flicks open the envelope as Ruby stands behind her, still grinning as she watches Regina read it. Regina’s eyes narrow and she licks her lips, fidgeting in her seat. When she finishes the letter, she jumps to her feet, leaving her food unfinished. She grabs Ruby by the collar of her shirt, all but dragging her out into the hallway.

“What is this?” Regina hisses, her face red. Ruby shrugs, a little less sure of herself now.

“I wasn’t sure what to write, so I just wrote the first thing that came to my mind when I thought of you,” she says softly, folding in on herself slightly.

“ _ I look at that scar on your lip, and I want to kiss it. I want to know what it feels like, what you taste like. I want to run my hands all over you, know every part of your heart, your body, your soul. You’re so damn smart, and so funny when you think no one is listening _ ,” Regina reads, her voice shaking. Ruby smiles hearing her swear, but the expression falters as Regina stops reading. “This is what you think when you look at me?” Regina whispers. Ruby nods meekly. They still have to finish this project, and she really hopes she hasn’t ruined everything. Without warning, Regina grabs Ruby’s wrist, tosses dust on the ground, mumbles something, and Ruby is pulled into a swirling green vortex. When she opens her eyes, she sees an empty hidden passageway.

“What the-” Ruby is interrupted by Regina’s lips crashing onto hers. Ruby stands, frozen, confused about the turn of events. Regina pulls away, nervous that Ruby is not responding.

“Where the hell are we? How did we get here?” Ruby whispers, her breathing shallow.

“An invention of mine. Combines floo powder and apparition so I can get around faster in the school grounds. Probably illegal. We’re in the passageway behind the tapestry on the seventh floor. Was I- should we go back to the Great Hall?” Regina asks, rocking back and forth on her heels.

“Hell no,” Ruby growls, lunging forward, trapping Regina against the wall in a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love hearing your thoughts, your reviews, and your suggestions for prompts or pairings! Thanks for reading!


	16. The Battle (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Maybe you could do something set in the battle of Hogwarts, Regina vs Cora\Zelena with Emma saving the day?” ~~ Commonswift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got two prompts for the infamous Battle of Hogwarts for two different pairings. So, this chapter and chapter 17 are set in the same universe.

The world was ending.

The castle lay in shambles all around me. I was leaping over the bodies of friends, classmates, and enemies. I found myself glancing at their injuries, occasionally wishing some would succumb rather than suffer any longer. The sky above the courtyard was lit not by stars, or the sun, but rather by spells flying every which way. The only thing that keeps me going is the sound of her voice, propelling me forward. I would know her screams anywhere.

“No, Regina!” I shout, watching her body crumble, hitting the stone floor. But I can’t go to her this moment, not when the threat is still standing, laughing over her body. I turn to face them, snarling, “I will  _ kill _ you.” They only laugh.

 

Over an hour earlier, Voldemort had given his ultimatum. Everyone knew what happened next. Harry went to the forest, they fought. Harry died, but not really. He reappeared, alive and better than ever, and the fighting resumed. But while everyone eventually learned about Harry’s ultimate triumph, no one knew the battles fought on the ground, in the trenches. I knew.

“Regina, stay safe,” Emma had whispered much earlier, before any of the fighting had started. We had tried to stay together, but the stampede of acromantula forced her away from me. I wanted to look for her, but heard the sounds of a third year, Ruby, who had snuck back in to fight, and quickly gotten in over her head in battling with Greyback. While I was busy saving her, unfortunately only after he turned her, Emma had slipped away. I scooped the girl up, apparating to the Great Hall, thankful that all of the anti-apparition charms had broken. 

“I’ll keep her safe,” Madame Pomfrey swore, taking Ruby. I ran off to find Emma, but before I could get past the stone courtyard, I tripped over the unconscious body of a Hogwarts student. I couldn’t look at the face. I tried to stand up, but someone shoved me down, putting a sharp heel into my chest.

“Regina, darling,” my sister drawls. 

“Zelena,” I snarl, shoving her foot away from me. She doesn’t even stumble, just backs up a step, keeping her wand trained on me. I make to back away, but find my mother standing on the other side of me, trapping me.

“You can still pick the winning side,” mother taunts. I find myself rapidly turning back and forth, trying to keep an eye on both of them. 

“Oh, mother, do we have to let her back in?” Zelena whines.

“I don’t want it. I won’t join the  _ Death Eaters _ ,” I sneer. This distance between myself and my other family members had started when I was a first year, and had been sorted into Ravenclaw rather than Slytherin. Zelena refused to acknowledge me in school, and Mother noticeably started to favor her. Only father loved me unconditionally, but he died in second year. Zelena had joined her mother in the ranks of the Death Eaters after her graduation, when He came back at the end of my fourth year. When I refused to join, mother disowned me, and I stayed with Emma over breaks.

“You don’t deserve to be a Mills,” Mother growls, quickly sending a spell at me. I dodge it just barely, throwing up a shielding spell.

“You don’t deserve to be  _ breathing _ ,” Zelena shrieks, and a flash of green light comes my way. I duck and roll.

“Now, now, dear, we have all the time in the world,” Mother scolds gently. They come to stand together, looking down at me. “Stand, child,” she orders. I don’t bother pointing out that I had turned 17 months ago, and was no longer her child, or a child at all. I stand, but only because it’s a better position from which I can fight.

“ _ Crucio _ ,” Zelena mutters, and I am blinded with the pain. There are no words to describe this feeling. The pain is not a moment, nor is it a feeling. It is an eternal state, and I don’t think I could ever escape. I try to think of Emma, and at first, this works. I hope she is safe, as I have not seen her in a while. I try to think of the smell of her hair, or the way her skin feels on mine. I try to have hope that she’ll find me, but eventually, the pain is too much. In an obvious attempt to protect myself, my body shuts down. Everything goes black.

 

“I. Will.  _ Kill. You, _ ” I repeat. Cora and Zelena just laugh. Zelena kicks Regina, and her arm falls limply to the ground. I don’t even think. I just start sending every spell I can think of in quick succession. Most are nonverbal, and I alternate at whom each spell is aimed, trying to be random. Fighting the both of them is difficult, but rage fuels me. When Zelena is forced to back up, in order to avoid my attacking swarm of birds, she trips on a fallen piece of brick, knocking herself unconscious.

“Not my daughter, you bitch,” Cora growls. She raises her wand, dramatically starting to scream a spell. I silently disarm her first, charging at her, knocking her to the ground. She wheezes, the air knocked out of her.

“You do not deserve my sympathy, or my leniency,” I say darkly, pinning her to the ground. I take her by the shoulders and knock her head against the floor, not hard enough to kill, just enough to render her unconscious. I collect her wand as well as Zelena’s and send spells at them to tie the both of them up before they awaken.

“Regina,” I whimper, rushing to her fallen form. I stop paying attention to the battle around me, but I can tell it has quieted. I can only focus on the gentle rise and fall of her chest. I cradle her head, trying in vain to remember any healing spells. Before I can do more than let one tear out, she is groaning, trying to lift her arms.

“Mmmm,” she moans. I laugh, kissing her cheek. “Em-ma,” she whimpers.

“Yeah,” I whisper happily. “Yeah, I’ve got you, Regina.” She opens her eyes, grinning weakly at me. I scoop her up, cradling her in my arms and stand. Looking around, the battle has stopped. Later, I’d find out it was because Voldemort was dead, and the battle was won. But in that moment, I just looked around at the wounded making their way to the Great Hall. Dead littered the ground, both enemies and friends. Emma steps over Cora and Zelena, not bothering to avoid their fingers. She gestures for one of the Aurors checking the scene to come take care of them. She nods.

“Hurts,” Regina groans, closing her eyes and resting her head against my chest. I wish I could close my eyes as we walk past the line of the dead. Some people look far too young to have been fighting this battle. Others I recognize from classes, or Hogsmeade visits. I see too many injured, bleeding, broken. Too many family members crying over bodies, clinging to each other.

“I know,” I mumble, kissing her forehead. It is slick with blood. “It’ll get better. We have each other.”

“It’ll get better now,” she sighs, opening her eyes. I readjust my grip on her as I bring her down to sit in the corner. I wait until someone has come to attend to her before rushing back out to help bring in more of the wounded. I try to avoid the dead, but I can’t help but notice the pearly white sheen of ghosts, familiar faces I had just seen in the Hall.

“It’ll get better,” I promise the wounded as I bring them to the Hall. “It’ll get better.” If I say it enough, hopefully I’ll believe it someday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews! Prompts! Pairings!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	17. After the Battle (Sleeping Warrior)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Could you do another sleeping warrior? Maybe? Maybe something where the battle of Hogwarts is over and Philip died and Aurora and Mulan return to school and bond and so on? Thanks." ~~Ananas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A double chapter update day! Like I said in chapter 16, this chapter takes place in the same universe as chapter 16. I figured I'd upload them both today.

Everyone knew the sufferings of the Weasley clan.

Years later, everyone will remember the brave Fred Weasley, and will tell the tale of how he died laughing. Everyone will remember Nymphadora Tonks, and Remus Lupin. Sure, everyone’s names are on the memorial, but not everyone bothered to learn all of the names. Not everyone knew all of the stories. 

Some days, it feels like the only people who remember Philip are me and Mulan. And, of course, Rose.

 

“Emma,” Mulan mutters, grabbing the girl’s arm.

“I have to get back to Regina,” she says, pulling away. Mulan tightens her grip.

“Is Regina still alive?” Emma nods, glancing back, peering through the doors into the Hall, as if making sure. “Good. I’m glad. I need your help with someone who isn’t.” Emma closes her eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Who?”

“Philip. And Aurora isn’t… taking it well.” Mulan leads her back through the castle, towards the grounds. He had been near the bridge, fighting to keep the Death Eaters back while Neville and the rest rigged it to explode. He had been one of the first to fall. Aurora had gone to find him when Voldemort first called for the ceasefire, and hadn’t left his body since.

“God, I’m so sick of finding dead friends,” Emma mutters. Mulan begins to jog, fearing for Aurora’s well being, out there in the darkness, alone with a corpse.

“Philip,” a voice sobs in the distance. Emma picks up her pace, and soon both girls are sprinting. “Damn you, Philip.” Emma turns the corner to find the pale figure of Aurora leaning over an object on the ground. As she comes closer, she realizes Aurora is desperately trying to kiss Philip’s bloated, lifeless body. 

“Aurora, come on,” Mulan says gently, pulling at her arm.

“H-he l-loved that st-stupid story. T-true love’s k-kiss is supposed to c-cure him,” she hiccups, trying to kiss him. Mulan just sighs, pulling her harder. Emma grabs Philip. He is heavy, a sturdy guy, two years her senior. She can’t carry him, and Mulan is too busy carrying Aurora bridal-style. 

“Your wand,” Mulan hisses. Emma nods, using her wand to make him float behind them. Aurora has dissolved into hysterics, and at some point as they cross the hastily rebuilt bridge, she throws up on Mulan. Emma cringes, but Mulan doesn’t seem to care. When they get to the Hall, Mulan separates from Emma, heading towards the Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady has since disappeared from her portrait, but the door hangs open. Mulan is glad. She doesn’t know the current password, having graduated last year. She goes up to the first years’ dorm, figuring they were evacuated and no one will be in there.

“True love’s kiss,” Aurora whimpers. Mulan nods. “He loves that stupid movie.” Philip was a muggle born, and when they started dating in his sixth year (Aurora’s fourth), he had pointed out how their names paralleled the muggle story  _ Sleeping Beauty _ . It had been their inside joke, and they loved pretending that every kiss they shared was true love’s kiss. “It was supposed to work, Mulan,” she whimpers. 

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” is all Mulan says. She helps Aurora into a warm bath, carefully washing the vomit, dirt, and blood from her hair. After putting her into her pajamas, she tucks Aurora into the bed, drawing the curtains. She sits on a bed near her, afraid to leave.

 

She wakes in the middle of the night screaming. Mulan is on her in a flash, holding her tight to prevent her flailing limbs from hurting herself. By the time Aurora has fully woken herself up, she has been pulled onto Mulan’s lap, her head cradled against Mulan’s chest as she sobs.

“I thought it was a dream,” she whispers once her cries have petered out. Mulan doesn’t know what to say. She just holds Aurora.

 

**_*1 Year Later*_ **

 

At the first anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, Mulan and I walk in together.

She holds my hand, as if keeping me here, sensing how much I want to run. I don’t want to pass the Quidditch pitch where he had once held the cup, cheering in pride for all of Hufflepuff. I don’t want to cross that damn bridge. I don’t want to sit by the lake, where he and I used to have picnics. I don’t want this. But we have to honor him, so Mulan keeps me next to her.

The ceremony is beautiful, but I have to stand off to the side while they unveil the memorial. Rose has started crying.

She was born six months after the battle, a beautiful, healthy baby girl. She was Philip’s. Mulan had been by my side during the birth. She had cut the cord. She had been the first to hold my baby girl. Our baby girl. It had been Mulan’s idea to name her Rose, like Briar Rose from  _ Sleeping Beauty _ , an homage to my Philip. 

Mulan and I moved to Wizarding London as soon as she found out I was pregnant. She wanted me as near to St. Mungo’s as possible, just in case. So, we shared a small flat, and the entire time, Mulan and I had grown closer. I think I’m in love with her.

It feels like a betrayal to Philip, but he would have wanted me to be happy, at least for Rose’s sake. I love the way she can make Rose smile. I love the way she is so good with her. I love the way she holds my hand whenever we go out, protecting me from everyone. I love the way she tells Rose stories about my brave Prince Philip when she cries in the night. She doesn’t understand them now, but she will soon.

After the ceremony, we walk up to the memorial, and find his name. I trace it with my baby’s fingers. Even if Rose, Mulan and I are the only ones to remember him, he will never be forgotten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to send in more prompts!


	18. Into the Forest (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Can you do one where Emma is an animagus and she follows Regina in the Forbidden Forest to protect her, but ends up getting hurt protecting her and shifts back into her normal form revealing herself to Regina.” ~~DisturbingVision
> 
> Why yes... Yes I can.

“Aw, what’s wrong? Is the big, bad Gryffindor afraid of a little dare?” Regina teases. She had been invited to a start-of-term party for all of the prefects taking place in the Room of Requirement. It was her first year as Ravenclaw prefect, and she was glad her sister hadn’t poisoned everyone against the Mills family. She didn’t even understand how Zelena had gotten to be a Slytherin prefect. She was a seventh year now, and Head Girl to boot. She had snowed the entire faculty. 

“I’m not afraid of anything,” sixth year Gryffindor Ruby Lucas snaps.

“Then why choose ‘truth’?” Zelena drawls. It was apparently a tradition for all of the prefects to play Truth or Dare all night, getting stuffed off of butterbeer and snacks nicked from the kitchen.

“Maybe I’m just lazy,” Ruby sneers. “Are you going to ask me a question or not?”

“Alright, alright, fine,” Regina sighs, smiling to show she means no harm- unlike Zelena. “Um, what’s the most interesting thing that’s happened to you over summer break?” Ruby shrugs.

“I got bitten by a werewolf,” she mutters. Zelena coughs, spitting up her water. Mother had raised them not to trust filthy half-breeds, but Father used to tell Regina that it wasn’t what they were born, but what they did. Zelena scoots away from Ruby noticeably. “Oh calm down. He wasn’t a werewolf when he bit me, so I’m not fully wolf.”

“Wait, what?” Mary Margaret, sixth year Hufflepuff asks. Ruby rolls her eyes and shifts uncomfortably. Regina had been trying to avoid this exact situation by asking a seemingly innocuous question.

“Remember my ex, Peter? Yeah, well for those of you who don’t know, he’s about four years older than me. We dated a few years ago, but he was psycho. Like, obsessed with wolves. And werewolves. He broke it off because I wasn’t interested in being turned, and then he disappeared. Showed up at my door over the summer, asked to talk. I went outside, and he full on bit me,” Ruby explains, shaking her knee nervously. She pulls up her shirt to show a pink scar on her stomach in the shape of teeth. “I thought he was being romantic when he tackled me,” she adds, her face going red.

“I-I-I, Ruby, I’m sorry. I tried to pick a question that wouldn’t be too awkward,” Regina whispers, leaning close to apologize.

“Don’t bother, kid,” Ruby smiles, ruffling Regina’s hair. Regina pulls away, frowning playfully as she fixes her hair. With this resolved, they continue the game.

 

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Regina mutters to herself. After her teasing of Ruby much earlier in the night, she had been cajoled into taking a dare from her sister- her first mistake. Zelena had dared her to go into the Forbidden Forest, to the old lair of the Acromantulas and take a spider web strand. Zelena had insisted it would be safe since no acromantula had been seen since after the Battle of Hogwarts. Regina was now sneaking across the grounds, determined not to be embarrassed by her psychotic sister. 

She took one last glance before dashing into the forest. But Regina had only been looking for patrolling teachers. She didn’t see the small silver wolf following closely behind her.

 

“The forest is dangerous!” Emma protests. Zelena just shrugged.

“My baby sister can handle herself,” she sighs. “Who’s next?”

“I’m going after her,” Emma sighs. Ruby grabs Emma’s wrist.

“Emma, don’t be stupid. She doesn’t want  _ you _ to go save her,” Ruby hisses.

“She won’t see me,” Emma whispers. Ruby steps closer.

“You going to do the  _ thing _ ?” Ruby mutters. Emma had become an animagus over the summer. Ruby was the only one who knew.

“Yes. Now, let  _ go _ .” Emma pulls away and runs down the hall, trying to find Regina. When the door closes behind her, Ruby snorts.

“I  _ knew _ she was head over heels for my idiot sister,” Zelena snorts. Everyone else glares at her and mumbles, deciding whether to leave and go to bed, or stay and wait for the two fifth years.

 

“I  _ hate _ the forest,” Regina mumbles. Emma follows behind her as close as she can without alerting the other girl to her presence. She stays close enough to see Regina, and thanks to her wolfy senses, her hearing and vision is much more advanced than Regina’s. But that doesn’t mean Regina doesn’t feel the eyes watching her, or hear the leaves rustling.  _ Stop being paranoid, loser, _ Regina scolds herself.  _ Just a little while longer. Then, you can get inside, put on your pyjamas, and go to bed _ .

“Ah!” she screams when she hears the thunder of hooves. A centaur with a thick white coat stops in front of her. Regina looks up into his deep green eyes. He glares down at her.

“Get out of our forest, child. There is danger near,” he growls, stringing an arrow into his bow before trotting off. Regina freezes, unsure what to do. If she returns to the prefect’s party empty handed, Regina will never live down the embarrassment. But if there really is danger nearby, like the centaur told her, she will never  _ live _ .  _ Period _ . 

 

Emma growls lowly, hearing a rustling sound further into the forest. She exhales angrily when Regina continues walking, heading right towards it. All at once, the trees explode. A ten-foot long creature jumps in front of Regina. Emma rushes forward while Regina is stuck staring at the shiny armor, and the giant stinger, like a scorpion. The creature scuttled toward Regina on six legs when Emma lunged at it, teeth bared. Its giant, crab-like pincers knocked her wolf out of the air.

 

“Holy crap!” Regina shrieked. First, Hagrid’s stupid Blast-Ended Skrewts- ( _ hadn’t those things died out years ago?? _ )- attacked her from nowhere, and now a  _ wolf _ ? Why couldn’t she just have one normal year? Did her mother piss in the pumpkin juice of the Universe, or something? She falls to the ground as the skrewt turns its attention back on her. She tries to remember what Hagrid told them in Care of Magical Creatures. Where were they weak? Before Regina can remember, the wolf is back.

 

Emma is sore from being knocked down, but she has to protect Regina. She stands up and crawls around behind the skrewt as it approaches Regina. She crawls under its belly. Instinctively, she knows the beast is weak on its belly. Once under the skrewt, she lunges, biting its soft under-flesh. The beast rears back, and Emma is thrown again, slamming against a tree. The skrewt screeches, clearly wounded, and lunges for the wolf, grabbing at her with its pincers. Emma feels the pain for only a moment before she sees bright lights hitting the skrewt. Then, darkness.

 

Seeing the wolf bite the skrewt’s underside reminds Regina. As soon as the wolf is thrown, bleeding in the skrewt’s claws, she attacks. Every curse she can think of, she sends flying at the beast. Weakened, bleeding, and vulnerable it scuttles away. Regina turns to battle the wolf, only to find it bleeding, lying unconscious. For a moment, she feels only her guilt. This poor, loyal wolf died trying to protect her. Then, there’s a shimmering surrounding the wolf.

When the golden sparks are gone, Regina’s jaw drops. Emma Swan, fifth year Gryffindor was lying sprawled on the ground, bleeding and broken.

“You  _ idiot _ ,” Regina growls, leaning forward. She reins in her panic, trying to remember the first aid spells she knows.

“Focus,” she sighs, tuning out the rest of the world. All that matters is saving Emma. And she does.

 

Emma groans as the light assaults her.

“Well, good morning, idiot,” a pleasant voice greets her. Emma opens her eyes to find Regina Mills sitting by her bed, hair all mussed and clothes looking as if she’d slept there the entire night.

“Where am I?” she mutters.

“Hospital wing. You’re an idiot. Professor Longbottom is going to want to speak with you. And the Headmistress. You’re an idiot. So irresponsible, so dangerous, so reckless,” Regina rants, smoothing her hair. Emma smiles. She glances down realizing she was dressed only in the paper-thin hospital wing gown. Her entire body was sore, and she felt sticky, like she was covered in molasses. Regina was frowning at her.

“I’m a Gryffindor,” Emma grins lopsidedly.

“You’re an  _ idiot _ is what you are,” Regina snorts. “I have two week’s detention. You do too, I’d bet. Madame Pomfrey’s about to kick me out, so before I go, I have a question: why’d you follow me out there?” Emma shrugs, wincing as it sends a rush of pain. “Idiot,” Regina mutters.

“Stop calling me that! I just wanted to protect you!” Emma protests.

“I’m a big girl. I don’t need a savior, Miss Swan,” Regina argues. Then her expression softens. She stands, stretching. Emma can hear Madame Pomfrey coming to shoo her out, but Regina stands her ground for just a moment more. “And  _ you _ are indeed an  _ idiot _ .” She bends down, kissing Emma’s cheek. “But, you’re  _ my _ idiot. I’ll come back later,” she purrs. Emma whimpers as she walks away. Her cheeks burn as Madame Pomfrey gives her a knowing look, but thankfully, the old woman says nothing.

Regina, meanwhile, stops in the hall and leans her head against the wall, grinning proudly. She may have put Ravenclaw in negative points and racked up two weeks of detention. Her entire house may hate her, Mother may be writing a Howler as she speaks, but none of it matters. Emma Swan may be an idiot, but Regina Mills is a fool for that girl. 

A fool in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send in prompts! Pairings you'd like to see! Anything!
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	19. Legilimency (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another double chapter update? *Gasp* Someone might say I'm in a good mood! Based on this prompt:
> 
>  
> 
> “I’ve been fantasizing about you during class and it turns out you can literally read minds and you knew this the entire time.” Red Beauty Student/Teacher(ish) AU

Belle is quite easily the most beautiful girl Ruby has ever seen.

She’s a seventh year Ravenclaw assisting Professor Cunningham, the potions professor. Ruby was only a fifth year, and she didn’t even  _ like _ potions. It was too complex, too exact. Of course, she couldn’t completely blame her poor grades on her dislike of the subject. She spent most of her class time staring at the young assistant, Ms. French, imagining how Belle would feel, taste, smell, everything about her. It’s a carnal need, and Ruby is embarrassed by how hard she has fallen for the older girl.

Some of her daily imaginings are enough to make her blush, immediately dropping her gaze before looking back at the teacher’s assistant, pretending to listen to the lesson.

_ Belle is handing back the graded papers they’d done last week. Ruby’s paper is on the bottom of the pile. Belle leans onto the desk as she puts the paper down, a big, red, D on the top of it. _

_ “You seem to be having some trouble, Miss Lucas,” Belle purrs seductively. “You should stay after class so we can… discuss.” At that exact moment, the rest of the class files out, leaving Belle and Ruby alone. Belle pulls Ruby’s chair out from the table and straddles her, playing with the strands of her hair. Ruby is confident, and lunges forward to show the teacher’s assistant just what an eager student she is. _

“Miss Lucas?” Belle- the  _ real _ Belle- calls out to Ruby, startling her from her fantasies. Ruby blushes, looking around to realize everyone else had left, but Ruby was still sitting there, staring at Belle.

“Um, sorry, what did you say?” Ruby mutters, clearing her throat. She can’t look Belle in the eye. Belle smirks, pointing at the paper on Ruby’s desk, an assignment she had done last week. Just like in her fantasy, it had a failing grade on top.

“You seem to be having some trouble, Miss Lucas,” Belle whispers, leaning over Ruby. Ruby freezes. “I’m glad you stayed after class so that we could… discuss.” Ruby inhales sharply to hear Belle laughing. She leans across the table, her face just inches from Ruby’s.

“What?” Ruby squeaks, feeling her face redden.

“Do you know what legilimency is, Ruby?” she whispers, leaning on her elbows, smiling at Ruby the way a cat smiles at the mouse. Ruby shakes her head, clenching her thighs together. “Muggles call it  _ mindreading _ ,” Belle continues. Ruby whimpers, her face reddening even more. “All it requires is eye contact. And when you zone out, you make direct eye contact with me. And I’m an accomplished legilimens.”

“I didn’t-”

“Are you as eager as you claimed, in your head?” Belle interrupts. She walks slowly around the table, her heels clicking ominously on the stone floor. She drags Ruby’s chair away from the table to sit on her lap, one arm draped across her shoulders. “To be a good student?”

“Mhmm,” Ruby hums nervously. Belle leans forward, pressing her forehead against Ruby’s. In her head, Ruby had been confident, eager, and suave. Now, she was sweating, nervous, blushing, and awkward.

“Prove it,” Belle growls, surging forward to kiss Ruby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	20. Club Swen (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Regina and Emma are both Professors. Their students ship them so much they made a club to get them together and relay information about Swanqueen. Some even believe they are dating but hiding it. They don't know that Regina and Emma were actually raging a huge crush on each other during their school times together and that they kissed during that time too, but is the crush still there? The club is not an approved one per say but McGonagall turns a blind eye around them. Not because she also ships Regina and Emma, no no how dare you say such a false (read: true) thing. The club may also be run by Henry. (Feel free to change anything)” (S_Tidey)

“Lucas, are you paying attention?” Emma barks. The sixth year Gryffindor girl blushes before nodding. “Then tell me: what, exactly is the function of a rubber duck?” The entire Muggle Studies class bursts into laughter, including Ruby Lucas. Professor Swan stalks over to Ruby, snatching the crumpled piece of paper out of the girl’s hand. “What’s this?”

“Hey, that’s-”

“Viva la Swan Queen? What is this?” Emma tries to read the rest of the note, but Ruby snatches it back, ripping it in the process. “Ruby!” Ruby blushes, but continues ripping up the paper while the rest of the class laughs. “Ten points from Gryffindor!” That shuts up most of the class. She struggles to get the class back on track.

 

“Do you know what Swan Queen is?” Emma asks over dinner that evening. Professor Regina Mills, Potions Master and Head of Ravenclaw, tilts her head. She finishes swallowing before she replies.

“Your students are talking about that, too? I had an entire group of first year Gryffindors giggling about it. And my older students, too. I had to give three detentions because they wouldn’t stop passing notes about it!” she exclaims. Emma nods, leaning closer to her friend in the process.

“Yeah, my sixth years were passing notes. Viva la Swan Queen… I mean… Is this, like, some weird fan club?” Professor Swan’s laid back teaching methods, and tendency to show kids the fun parts of being a Muggle (her afterschool internet club had exploded with Muggle borns, half bloods, and pure bloods alike all looking to explore the strange things like Tumblr, and Google), had made her a favorite of the students.

“Maybe? We should ask Minerva if they’ve tried to actually register the club with her.” Emma nods, reaching over to snatch a bite from Regina’s plate. The potions master tries to swat her fork away, slapping Emma’s arm when she shoves the fork in her mouth. “You’re a child, Ms. Swan,” she mutters.

“Yeah, but you wouldn’t have me any other way,” Emma grins cheekily. Regina laughs, nodding. 

Unbeknownst to them, the very fan club they had been discussing were watching this interaction, abuzz with fresh fodder for their gossip mill.

 

“I bet they’re dating, and they just can’t tell us because of some school rule,” one student whispers. 

“I heard they’re engaged,” another adds.

“No way, everyone knows Swan is a commitment-phobe,” someone scoffs.

“A- _ hem _ ,” someone interrupts. The rather large group of students hunkered down in the corner of the library look up to find their Headmistress Minerva McGonagall staring down at them, one eyebrow raised. “This group seems rather large to be  _ studying _ in the library,” she says, smiling at them. “Perhaps you ought to move your group to the empty classroom on the third floor, near the tapestry of Barrabus the Bold.” Everyone nods, and marches off to continue their discussion.

“Ya think she heard us?” someone mumbles. McGonagall smiles, winking at one boy.

“Oh yeah,” first year Gryffindor Henry Mills, founder of the club smiles. “I think she did.”

 

“Minerva, have you heard of a club that calls themselves ‘Swen’?” Regina asks one day, walking through the halls after hours. She had overheard some students discussing the group, and an impending meeting. 

“No, no I don’t think they have come through me to create a club. Why, dear?”

“Just… hearing murmurs,” Regina sighs. “I suppose it’s nothing.”

“I’m sure,” Minerva replies sagely. “So, how is Professor Swan’s new internet startup project with her advanced muggle studies students progressing?” Regina smiles, regaling tales of how Emma and her students were creating an online game as a semester project.

 

“Okay, that’s it,” Emma snaps, watching a group of students giggling and pointing behind their hands. Regina raises one eyebrow at Emma’s outburst. The students standing in the hall had been doing no harm. “What are you laughing about?” A small boy Emma had never met before stepped forward. But Regina knew him.

“Henry Mills,” she acknowledged. He was one of her favorite first years, a bit of a nosy little know-it-all, but generally a good boy.

“Professor Mills,” he grins.

“Alright, kid, what is this Swen thing? And Swan Queen? What does that mean? Is this some weird, obsessive fan club, or something?” she asks. The kids, included Ruby Lucas, gathered behind him, grinning and snickering.

“Professor  _ Swan _ , what is Professor Mills’ first name?” Henry asks, putting on an exaggerated, innocent expression.

“Regina,” the woman herself provides. “But you know that, Henry.”

“And I also learned that Regina is latin for queen,” he smirks.

“Oh, I get it,” Emma groans, comically slapping her head. “Swan, like my last name, and Queen, for her first name! But then… Okay, whose idea was this?”

“Mine,” Henry smiles.

“Muggleborn?” she groans.

“Can someone explain this to me?” Regina asks, slightly frustrated.

“It’s a… It’s a sip,” Emma chuckles.

“Like a pirate ship?” Regina asks, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

“No,” Henry giggles. 

“Like a relation _ ship _ ,” another student adds.

“So… you…?” Regina trails off, unable to put the puzzle pieces together.

“They’re a club dedicated to us. Together. Like a relationship. They want us to get together. The whole Swan Queen thing? It’s a ship name. Like, um… I don’t know. A name to describe our relationship!” Emma laughs hysterically. Regina just blushes.

“Some of us think you already got together,” Henry adds. Regina shoots him a look.

“We most certainly have not. You kids have a lot of nerve, creating a club to gossip about your teachers. I ought to tell the Headmistress! See what she thinks,” Regina scolds, fidgeting with her hands behind her backs. The kids are smart enough to look contrite. “Five points from each of you, for sheer… sheer disrespect!” With that, she turns on her heel and storms away. The kids begin to fret and complain. They are a rather large group, from all houses. 

“Um… for the record, we’re not in a relationship,” Emma whispers. “I’d recommend disbanding your club. And an apology note to Professor Mills from each of you wouldn’t hurt.” The kids nod as Emma runs after Regina.

 

“I mean, what disrespect!” Regina rants. Emma knows not to interrupt her. “Creating this… this  _ club _ to gossip about our romantic lives! We  _ never _ would have done such a thing in our school days. This is… I should have given them detention…” Emma stands, putting her hands on Regina’s shoulders, stopping her frantic pacing and ranting.

“Do you remember how we were  _ convinced _ that Professor Longbottom and the barkeep Hannah Abbot were a thing, in our third year?” Regina nods, breathing out angrily. “We talked about that  _ all _ the time. We talked to our friends. We spied on them during Hogsmeade visits. We would have made a club like Swen if we knew what that was.”

“Still,” Regina protests, whining slightly.

“No, no still. And they weren’t entirely wrong. Remember fifth year?” Regina blushes, dropping her gaze. In fifth year, when they were starting to succumb to O.W.L. stress and the holidays were approaching, they got caught under some mistletoe. It was the first time they had kissed, though not the first time either had thought about it and  _ certainly _ wasn’t the last. They had never gotten into a relationship. They just kissed when drunk, or when they got caught under mistletoe. Once they graduated, it became much less frequent. Emma can’t even remember the last time they had kissed. But, they were very close now, and Emma’s gaze flitted down to Regina’s lips. In particular, that thin, little scar on her top lip.

“So, they weren’t completely wrong,” Regina breathes. Her voice is low, and Emma can see how her face is blushing, all the way down to the straining third button on her blouse. “I still don’t want them… talking about… us,” she says softly. She takes a step forward, and the space between them lessens.

“Wouldn’t want them to… get the wrong… um, wrong impression,” Emma pants, her gaze focused on Regina’s lips. Regina tilts her head.

“What impression  _ should _ they get, Em- _ ma _ ?” she purred, enunciating each syllable in Emma’s name. Emma whimpers, leaning ever closer. With one lunge, her lips are on Regina’s, and they’re falling back towards Regina’s bed.

 

“Morning, Regina,” Emma grins at breakfast the next morning. As if they hadn’t woken up together.

“Good morning, Professor Swan,” Regina replies softly, smirking, while holding her hand underneath the table.

“Oh, they totally did it,” Ruby Lucas whispers to her friend. Henry leans in.

“Did what?” he asked. Ruby bit her lip, giggling. 

“Viva la Swan Queen,” she mumbles. Henry jumps up on the bench, one fist in the air.

“Viva la Swan Queen!” he shouts. A large portion of the student body stands, putting up their fists and taking up the chant. Emma and Regina blush, staring at the table. 

To everyone and no one’s surprise, Minerva McGonagall stands, clapping as she joins the ever growing roar: “Viva la Swan Queen!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This prompt is actually kind of similar to a multi-chapter fic I'm reading called "The Magic of Theatre," so if you like this you should go check it out!


	21. Potions Class (Swan Queen & Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your OTP in a Hogwarts Potions class. What would Amortentia smell like to them? “You’re already dating someone else, and during our love potion unit, you get asked to explain what you smell, and of course you’re gonna be smelling things that describe your partner right? Um, but then why are you explicitly describing me?”

The class fidgets and giggles when Professor Gold brings out the love potion. The sixth year Advanced Potions class was small, just a few dedicated students. No one who didn’t need potions dared to spend two extra years with Professor Gold.

“Ahem, um, who can identify this?” he asks, glancing around the room. He’s short, and he paces among the students, keeping them on their toes. Per usual, Regina Mills’ hand is the first in the air. “Typical Ravenclaw,” Professor Gold giggles, rolling his ‘r’. “Very well, Ms. Mills. Tell everyone.”

“Amortentia,” she responds, not daunted by his teasing. “Distinctive for its mother-of-pearl sheen, and characteristic spiral steam curls.”

“Very nice, as usual. Five points to Ravenclaw. Who else can tell me something about Amortentia?”

“It’s the most powerful love potion in the world, sir!” Belle French, fellow Ravenclaw shouts. He grins at her, nodding. She squirms in her seat. It was no secret to anyone that Professor Gold looked at Belle in a way no professor should look at his underage students.

“Anything else? Anyone brave enough to,” he giggles mischievously, “test the potion? No takers? Hmm? Alright fine. What else do we know about amortentia?”

“It is unique in its scent,” Emma Swan calls out, stealthily reading from her textbook. 

“Close the book, Ms. Swan,” Gold barks. She blushes, and Regina smirks, loving the way the pink tints her cheeks. She loves when Emma is put on the spot, and the dashing, brave Gryffindor falters, becomes nervous. Regina’s loved her since third year, but she is dating Killian Jones, a seventh year Slytherin who fancies himself a pirate gangster. “And explain what that means, Miss Lucas.” Ruby, another Gryffindor startles in her seat. She glances at Belle, her tablemate. 

“Um, I think, uh, it smells different to everyone, right?”

“Are you asking us or telling us?” Ruby blushes.

“Telling you. It smells different to everyone based on what attracts them.” Gold beckons her forward with one finger.

“What do you smell?” Ruby sputters nervously before leaning over the cauldron, inhaling deeply. She stays there for a moment, smiling slightly, breathing deeply.

“I smell fresh parchment and ink, freshly cut grass, old books, roses, and that weird smell, you know, like how everything smells after it rains? It just smells like, um, like the earth,” she sighs contentedly. Belle’s high pitched giggle startles Ruby and she turns back around, hurrying to her seat, blushing fiercely.

“Everyone, form a line. I think we should  _ all _ take a whiff,” Gold says with a smile. Belle is first in line.

“The library, old books, woods, fresh baked muffins, roses, and something… earthy,” she grins, winking at Ruby as she goes to sit down. Regina grins. She  _ knew _ they had something going on. 

Emma Swan is next in line. Regina pauses, unsure whether she wants to listen or not. She doesn’t really feel like listening to Emma describe how Killian smells. Like the ocean, or seaweed, or something equally slimy. But, Regina is a glutton for punishment, and she is drawn to that dumbstruck look on her face as she leans over the cauldron. She’s grinning, breathing deeply, leaning further and further into the cauldron. When she speaks, it’s a low, breathy sound, incredibly arousing and sensual.

“I smell… Apples.” Regina stands a little straighter. “Apples, and cinnamon… Hay, like horses, that kind of hay. And something I can’t quite describe. It smells like… Like the wind? It feels like freedom. Hey, hey what-” Emma sputters as Regina grabs her arm, dragging her out into the hall, ignoring Gold’s threats of detention. “What the hell, Regina?”

“What the hell  _ me? _ What the hell  _ you _ ! What the hell, Swan!” Regina hisses angrily, well aware the class is probably listening by the door. Emma just looks confused. “You just described  _ me _ in that potion. Apples, and cinnamon, and hay? That’s everything I love. And the wind? That freedom? That’s everything I  _ need _ .” Emma shifts guiltily.

“And?” she whispers, her cheeks redder than her Gryffindor tie.

“And?  _ And? _ You’re dating Captain Guyliner! You can’t- I mean- We’re not-Argh!” Regina growls. Emma just digs her toe into the ground shyly.

“He and I aren’t really dating. My parents were getting annoying asking me about boyfriends. So, he agreed to pretend. He was supposed to be my rebellious teenage romance. But my parents love him, so we kept up the lie. He’s just a cover-up because… I don’t want a boyfriend. I want a girlfriend,” she admits. Now it’s Regina’s turn to be shy, staring dumbfounded, cheeks blazing.

“You want a girlfriend?” she asks, whispering.

“More specifically, you,” Emma says boldly, grinning now. Regina can’t form any words in response to this, so she does the Gryffindor thing. She doesn’t think. She acts. She lunges forward, pinning Emma against the stone wall to kiss her.

“Took you long enough,” a voice interrupts them. The girls blush, seeing the entire class giggling in the doorway. “I had to plan an entire unit just to get this to happen!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts, prompts, I love prompts! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	22. Obliviate (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma is a muggleborn orphan being moved from home to home until she ran away and began living on her own for the past two years. Every time someone finds out she obliviates them. Now in a steady relationship with Regina the brunette asks to meet her parents. Insert problem there. (Feel free to change this how you see fit) (DisturbingVision)

“I want to meet your parents,” Regina says one day. Emma freezes in her tracks, watching as Regina continues walking down the street, unaware Emma had stopped. The people rush around Emma as Regina makes her way back. “Emma?” Emma shakes herself out of her reverie.

“I-I’m fine. Sorry, just startled me,” Emma mumbles. The sixteen year old Slytherin smiled at her girlfriend, taking her hand and continuing walking down the street towards the Muggle London entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.

“I just mean, well, you’ve met my mother, not that it was particularly enjoyable, but you met her. We’ve been dating for almost a year now. I just want to meet them,” Regina continues. Emma winces.

“I’ll try and set something up,” she lies before changing the subject to the impending school year.

 

**_Six Years Ago_ **

 

“Look at what you’ve done, now!” the man, her foster father, roars, waving around the school letter. She hadn’t meant to hurt those girls at school. But when they started teasing her about being an orphan, she just pushed one of them. Emma didn’t understand how they’d been shoved all the way across the street and into the pond. But, now she was suspended, and everyone at school hated her. “You’re more trouble than you’re worth!” 

He called social services to take her back that night. Two days later, she got the letter from Hogwarts, and moved into a magical foster home.

 

**_Five Years Ago_ **

 

This new foster home was no better than the last three she’d been in since finding out she had magic. Sure, all the kids were wizards like her, but no one watched them. She had thought that being placed in a foster home for magic kids would be better. All it meant was that the bullies had better ways of teasing kids, and she, an untrained novice, couldn’t even fight back. 

The parents were no help. Some were indifferent, or too drunk to care. One family was vicious. They cut her, did strange things with her blood, then called her a mudblood. The parents had used magic on her, burning her, hitting her, cutting her, then healing her so no one would know. Luckily, she only spent winter break before admitting to her new social worker, and gotten moved. 

Emma discovered after her first year that cruelty didn’t discriminate between magic or muggle.

 

**_Four Years Ago_ **

 

Emma made plenty of friends, but a lot of people didn’t like her because she was a Slytherin. Her current foster siblings were all Gryffindors, and they would sometimes corner her in the halls and use her as a punching bag before leaving, calling her a Death Eater. Emma didn’t know what that meant, so she asked an older student, a girl named Maleficent. 

Death eater.

Mud blood.

Slytherin.

Witch.

Orphan.

Emma added these words to the ever growing list of things to call herself.

 

**_Three Years Ago_ **

 

“You’re worthless,” the woman sneers. Emma has stopped referring to these people as her parents long ago.

“A Slytherin. Despicable,” the man adds. He holds out his wand, and another gash appears on Emma’s cheek. The blow hit her chin like an invisible fist, and she’s sure the bruise will be gruesome.

She counts down the days until she goes back to school.

 

**_Two Years Ago_ **

 

Emma had finally had enough. 

On her first night in the new foster home, she never unpacked her backpack. She had spent ages learning the undetectable extension charm, and it now held all of her clothes, her money, her school things, and all of her worldly possessions. She took off in the dead of night on her broom, a present from an emergency placement foster family that Emma had only been with for a week in the summer before her third year.

She slept in abandoned, condemned structures, or under tarps in warmer weather. She still went to school, but lied whenever asked about her foster family. Emma had obliviated her social worker’s memory, and convinced her she was perfectly fine settled into a new home. 

A year later, she met Regina, and kept changing the subject whenever family was brought up. Any time someone from school saw her sleeping on the street, she’d obliviate them. Once, she had run into a group of loud-mouthed popular seventh year Ravenclaws. It had been a race to obliviate them before one of them got an owl off to someone.

Whenever she used magic outside school, Emma had to move her camp immediately. She stayed at the school during all possible breaks, and since it was always warm over the summer break, she never had much of a problem when sleeping outside. It had been difficult keeping the secret from Regina, especially when Regina wanted to get together over the summer. Emma had had to sneak into local gyms, or women’s shelters to borrow a shower so that Regina wouldn’t see her covered in the filth of the street.

 

**_Two Days Later_ **

 

Regina doesn’t bring up the topic of parents again until they’re on the Hogwarts Express two days after the Diagon Alley trip.

“So, did you talk to your foster parents?” she asks. Emma winces inwardly.

“Um, yeah, they’re super busy right now, though, and we just got back to school, so we won’t be able to see them until a Hogsmeade weekend, or something,” Emma lies, fiddling with her backpack straps.

“You’re lying about something,” Regina announces. Emma squirms, but is grateful their friends were out and about, leaving her alone to lie to Regina.

“No,” Emma says softly.

“Emma, what is going on with you? Do you… not want me to meet your parents? Is it… too much or something?”

“No, that’s not it!” Emma protests.

“Then what is it?” Regina asks, raising one eyebrow in a challenge.

“It’s… I…” Emma trails off helplessly. She loves Regina, but she’s been keeping this secret for two years now. If anyone finds out, she’ll be thrown right back in the system.

“Emma, you have to talk to me! This relationship… It only works with trust, and communication,” Regina whispers desperately. “There is nothing you can’t tell me, Emma.” Emma just gulps down a sob.

“I-I ca-an’t,” Emma chokes out. Regina stands, opening the door. Emma can’t see the tears filling Regina’s eyes as she stands in the doorway.

“Come find me when you can stop lying. I get that you don’t like to talk about everything. But I won’t be with someone who lies to my face,” she deadpans, turning and walking out the door.

“Damnit!” Emma shouts, slamming her fist against the window.

 

Emma found Regina sitting in a train car, laughing with her friends an hour later. Emma’s chest tightens at how easily she seems to have recovered from their fight. When Emma slides open the compartment door, everyone stops and stares at her. She feels her cheeks redden.

“Can I, uh, talk to Regina, guys?” she whispers. Everyone nods and gives them the empty compartment. Regina turns and stands to greet Emma, face blank, arms crossed over her chest.

“You done lying?” she says bluntly. Emma nods, and grips the wand tighter under her sweatshirt.

“I don’t have a foster family. I ran away, and I’ve been sleeping on the streets. I obliviated my social worker so she wouldn’t report me. I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to pity me. And I didn’t want you to have to tell anyone. Because I knew you’d care, and want me to sleep in a bed, and I don’t want to go back in the system. I’m almost seventeen. I don’t want to go back,” Emma explains in a broken whisper.

“Oh, Emma,” Regina says softly. Emma just inhales deeply, trying to control her shaking body. Regina steps forward, wrapping Emma up in a hug. They collapse back on the seat, and just hold each other until Regina is lulled to sleep by the steady beat of rain. Alone with a sleeping Regina, Emma pulls out her wand.

_ It would be easy. One spell, and it’d be as if you never had this conversation. She’d never know. She wouldn’t have to be mad at you. Just do it, _ Emma thinks. She could obliviate Regina, and it’d be as if this never happened.

_ But where’s the trust? _ another voice whispers. Emma notices it sounds suspiciously like Regina.  _ This is the coward’s way out, Emma. You’re better than this. _

“I’m better than this,” Emma whispers. Regina stirs.

“Hmm, babe?” she mumbles.

“We’re almost there,” Emma says, pointing to the first view of the castle. She stows her wand away. No matter what happens next, she can’t bring herself to take away Regina’s memories, however inconvenient they might be.


	23. Can't and Won't (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Could you please do one where Emma's a 7th year and Regina's a young new professor (only a couple years older than Emma) that falls in love with her new student and after months of fighting their chemistry she gives in. I was thinking something more like Emma and Regina being complete strangers up until Regina started her post. Something were Emma's more like a teacher's pet and a complete nerd that loves to spend her spare time in the library where Regina just so happens to always be at the same time or something like that, they bond, sparks fly that kind of stuff." ~~Sara
> 
> Why yes, I can!

_ No _ , Regina thinks to herself. She was sitting in the library, eyes closed to take a break from grading the stack of scrolls in front of her, an essay she’d assigned to her seventh year N.E.W.T. students. She was almost finished, but stopped when her favorite student’s essay made its way to the top of her desk. Emma Swan, reckless seventh year Gryffindor had caught her eye the moment she’d set foot in Regina’s charms classroom September 2nd. All blonde curls, ambiguously blue-green eyes, sarcasm, flirting, and skillfully hidden intelligence, she had instantly attracted Regina. Regina was barely twenty years old herself to Emma’s seventeen, having just gotten this teaching position after getting her certification in the United States. 

“Hey, Professor Mills!” a voice calls out, far too loud for a library, receiving a stern “shush” from Madame Pince. Regina cringes inwardly, opening her eyes to find Emma Swan and her big blonde curls bouncing over to her table. “I wanted to ask if you graded my essay yet. I wasn’t entirely sure I fully got my point across, and was worried you might misinterpret,” she says, notably softer. She stands far too close to Regina, smiling down at her and twirling her hair around her finger.

“Miss Swan,” Regina smiles politely, fighting the fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach. “I was just about to start grading yours.” She shifts, turning back to the work at hand, hoping Emma would leave. It was much easier to ignore the burgeoning crush she had for her student when said student was not so close that she could smell her perfume- something fruity, and apple-scented, she noted.

“Great, maybe I can explain some of my foggier points,” Emma grins, bouncing on her toes for a minute. She drags a chair over to sit down, sitting so close that her knee is touching Regina’s. Regina shifts over to leave more space. Emma smirks to herself and shifts closer again.

“I think your essay should be able to speak for itself without your  _ helpful input _ , Miss Swan,” she says lightly.

“You can call me Emma, y’know,” she whispers with a laugh, leaning one elbow on the table, subtly shifting closer to Regina. Regina holds her breath to stop herself from breathing in the tantalizing scent of Emma’s perfume.

“Miss Swan, I have to finish this grading, and I need space to do so,” she whispers, pushing Emma back with one hand on her shoulder. Emma rolls her eyes, but stands.

“Fine. But if my paper doesn’t make a lot of sense, you know where to find me,” she smiles, dragging a hand across Regina’s shoulders as she walks away. Regina shudders at the sensual touch, lingering long after Emma let go. With a wave of her wand, she transports all of her things to her desk in her office and starts off for her private bed chambers, intent to nip her feelings for Emma Swan in the bud. After, of course, taking care of some-  _ ahem _ \- other things.

 

A week later, Emma finds Professor Mills while she’s doing her night patrols.

Normally, seeing a teacher patrolling while she’s sneaking out for a midnight snack would send Emma ducking behind the nearest tapestry, suit of armor, or secret passageway. But the moment Emma heard those heels clicking, she knew they belonged to her favorite professor, and she stayed in the hall, pretending not to have noticed her approach. Regina sighed when she turned the corner and ran into Emma.

“Sneaking out, Miss Swan?” she sighs. 

“Sneaking back in, technically,” she says, grinning cheekily, showing off her bag of sweets the house elves had provided her with. Regina pinches the bridge of her nose.

“Five points from Gryffindor for sneaking out past curfew. Five more for sneaking into the kitchen. And  _ ten _ for abusing the house elves and making them give you food,” Regina exhales, beyond frustrated. It seems she can’t escape the ever present Miss Swan. And now, per regulations of the headmistress McGonagall, she has to escort Emma back to her dorm to ensure she goes back. “Let’s go, Miss Swan.”

“Okay,” she grins, pulling the belt on her bathrobe loose so that it dangles open. Regina pointedly ignores her loose, well-worn, revealing pajama shirt and complete lack of suitable pants in lieu of staring straight ahead. She  _ cannot _ be attracted to a student. Give it a few months, once Emma is no longer her student.  _ Then _ , she could pursue it. Maybe. But for now, she must remain detached. “You hungry?” Emma asks, offering Regina a piece of what seems to be a sugary pastry.

“No, thank you. What is that?” she asks, slightly disgusted.

“Bearclaw!” Emma grins happily, her cheeks stuffed with food so that she resembled a chipmunk.  _ A very cute chipmunk _ , Regina thinks fleetingly, before cursing the thoughts from her mind. “It’s a breakfast pastry. You should try it!” Regina politely declines, and they walk in silence for a minute.

“Y’know, the house elves don’t mind making food,” Emma tries to explain. Regina rolls her eyes. 

“Because they have long been conditioned into servitude. For hundreds upon hundreds of years, wizards and muggles have treated house elves like scum, and every one since has thought that it’s okay because it is all they know, and it is the way things are done. They are slaves. Slaves do not make a habit of complaining about their jobs to their masters,” Regina explains curtly. 

“I know,” Emma says, mock offended. Who doesn’t know that? Everyone who has half a brain has listened to Hermione Granger-Weasley and her house elf rights movement. “They don’t mind because I make it. I talked to the head house elf, Grand Pabby, and we worked out a deal. In exchange for my help keeping Gryffindor common rooms clean, they let me use one oven some nights.” Regina raises an eyebrow, trying not to be impressed.

“You do this often? Sneak out?” Emma blushes.

“Uh, no?” she tries. Regina rolls her eyes and continues walking.

“Five points to Gryffindor, for your respect for house elf rights,” Regina mumbles as they wait for the staircase to shift.

“Thanks, Professor,” Emma giggles. It feels it took a hundred years to reach Gryffindor Tower. It feels it was too short of a walk.

“Good night, Miss Swan. Do try not to sneak out again any time soon,” Regina says dryly, finishing the sentence in her head,  _ because I’m not due to patrol again for a fortnight. _

“You can call me Emma,” she reminds her. “Good night, Professor.”

“Good night, Miss Swan,” Regina says firmly, waiting until Emma closes the portrait hole before sighing and walking away. She finds herself lonely, wandering the corridors that night. Against her better judgment, she finds herself missing her blonde, exuberant, overconfident traveling companion.

 

It’s a whole month before Emma manages to catch Regina alone again.

Winter break had hit, and most of the castle had gone home for the holidays. Regina had stayed behind since mother wasn’t bothering to make time for her at home. Emma stayed because the big, empty castle with its beautiful decorations was far more preferable to the crowded, noisy, stinking orphanage with its crying children, mediocre decorations, and lack of holiday cheer. Emma was studying in the library when she spotted Regina working at a table in the corner.

“Professor Mills, you’ve joined the lonely hearts club over the holidays?” Emma teases, moving some of the professor’s papers aside to sit on the table. regina rolls her eyes and pushes the chair away from the table, creating space. She crosses her arms over her chest, one leg over the other as she looks up at Emma.

“What are you saying?” she asks brashly.

“Lonely hearts club! It’s what I call all the people who stay at Hogwarts over the holidays because they don’t have anything fun to go home to,” Emma explains with a lopsided grin. Regina’s nostrils flare as she tries to control her desire.

“Well, then yes. I suppose I am part of your silly club.”

“Nothing I do is ever silly,” Emma deadpans. After a moment, she throws her head back laughing, and Regina can’t stifle her smile.  _ She’s beautiful when she laughs _ , she thinks.  _ Her hair looks like spun gold… Stop it. Stop. She’s your student. This is five kinds of illegal. _ Regina groans in frustration. “Did I say something wrong?” Emma asks, suddenly stopping laughing, very concerned.

“No, no, just… tense,” Regina sighs, rolling her shoulders.

“I can help,” Emma says brightly, hopping off the table. Regina tenses up as Emma stands behind her, a thousand dirty fantasies running through her mind. “I am really good at giving shoulder massages. You mind?” Regina hesitates, rolling her tongue around in her cheek.

“I… don’t quite think that’s a good idea. People might think I’m trading you good grades for… this,” Regina sighs. Emma scoffs.

“I’ve been getting good grades since I got here. No one can try and claim that I’m cheating,” she explains. Regina turns to find Emma holding her hands up, as if in surrender, waiting for permission. Regina scans the nearby area, but no one else would be studying in the library during a vacation.

“Fine,” she sighs, relaxing into it. Emma’s hands are like magic, releasing all of her pressure points, massaging out tension. Thirty minutes later feels like thirty seconds, and Regina is a puddle under Emma’s hands. Every muscle in her upper body is relaxed, and she finds herself wishing Emma could do this every day. “Thank you,” she finally murmurs standing up. When she does, Emma is right behind her, grinning, in her space. 

“You’re welcome,” she whispers. And this close, Regina can see every line in Emma’s face. And Emma can see each little fissure in the scar on Regina’s top lip. Regina isn’t sure who leans in first, but suddenly, there is no space left between them. For a moment, everything is perfect. Then, Regina remembers who she is, and who Emma is, and where they are.

“No,” she grunts, shoving away from Emma. “We can’t.  _ I _ can’t.”

“Can’t… or won’t?” Emma asks, tilting her head seductively. Regina takes a step back. Emma, thankfully, stays where she is. “They’re very different.”

“B-both!” Regina splutters.

“Why?” Emma asks, tilting her head the opposite way. She clasps her hands behind her back and leans on one leg, the other snaking around her ankle. She is the picture of innocence, wrapped up in tight denim, a red leather jacket, and disarming Regina with her eyes.

“I am your teacher,” she whispers. Suddenly, she hears Madame Pince clear her throat at the front desk. Regina tenses, waving her wand and moving her papers to her classroom. “I’m not discussing this here.” She turns on her heel and starts walking quickly, eager to escape the cloying smell of old books, and the watchful eyes of Madame Pince. Emma follows close behind.

“Where will we discuss it, then?”

“Miss Swan,” Regina sighs as she walks. She doesn’t say anything else until they reach her classroom. Emma eagerly closes the door and leaps toward Regina, who side steps, dodging her. Regina silently puts a  _ muffliato _ spell around them. It would not due to have anyone overhearing this.

“Okay, not gonna pretend that didn’t hurt my feelings,” Emma says, a teasing smile still playing at the edge of her lips.

“Miss Swan-”

“Please, call me Emma,” she interrupts.

“Miss Swan,” Regina says sternly. She must distance herself. She must close off her feelings. She cannot do this with her, not now. “There are numerous reasons why I can’t,  _ and _ won’t do this. I am your teacher. You are a student.”

“But, I’m of age,” Emma points out. 

“I am your teacher,” Regina repeats. “No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I am your teacher. Your are my student. I could get fired, arrested, and my career would be ruined. I would never be able to teach again. No private companies would hire me. It would be a black mark on my record, forever. I know you enjoy flouting the school rules, Miss Swan, but this is my career on the line, and these are not school rules. These are  _ laws _ . And this is not just about me, or how it looks bad for me. What would people say about you if they found out?” 

“They’d say I’m the lucky girl that gets all the love and affection of the hottest, most passionate, caring, sexy professor,” Emma purrs, walking forward. Regina walks away from her, purposely putting the desk between them.

“Maybe. Or maybe, they’d say you slept with me to keep your grades up.”

“But I told you-” Emma starts.

“It doesn’t matter how smart you think you are, or how smart people know you are. If people find out, they will always, always,  _ always _ have this tiny, niggling doubt in the back of their mind: did Emma Swan really have what it takes to pass her Charms N.E.W.T. or did she only pass because she was sleeping with her teacher? No matter how you try to prove your intelligence, they will always question. And that stigma will follow you for the rest of your life. People will think you were the girl willing to sleep with her teacher for a grade,” Regina explains lowly, leaning into her hands onto the desk. “This is just… the wrong time, Emma.” Emma bites her lower lip, like she’s trying not to cry. Naturally, the first time Regina listens and uses her first name would be when she’s breaking her heart.

“In another life, right?” she laughs, but it’s a watery, teary laugh.

“Not another life, Emma. Another  _ time _ ,” Regina specifies gently. Emma gulps, pulling away when Regina goes to comfort her.

“Right. Well… I guess I’ll just… go…” she says, turning to walk out.

“Emma,” Regina calls. Emma turns. “I read your paper on the mechanics of broomstick enchantments, and ways to improve them. It was very insightful. Have you considered going into broom engineering?” Emma smiles sadly, and shakes her head, walking away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, yeah... sorry about that ending *hides*
> 
> Don't leave me?


	24. Stormy Nights (Red Swan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “During a thunderstorm late at night, Person 1 and Person 2 are sleeping over together and decided to go to bed prior to the thunderstorm. Person 1 wakes up in the middle of the night to loud, crashing thunder, and tries to ignore it. They cannot go back to sleep due to the noise, no matter what they do. Suddenly, Person 1 hears “(P-person 1), can I sleep with you? I-I’m scared of thunder…” After a few seconds, Person 1 realizes it was Person 2’s voice and, after laughing at them for a minute or two, lets them sleep in their bed. They cuddle until they fall asleep.”

“We haven’t had a good thunderstorm yet, and the sky’s been cloudy and gross for days,” Mary Margaret whines. The third year Hufflepuff frowns, crossing her arms as she pouts.

“I heard it’s supposed to come tonight,” third year Gryffindor Ruby Lucas replies, throwing her arms around her two best friends shoulders. The other best friend, fellow third year Gryffindor Emma Swan, tries to squirm out of her grip, but Ruby has an unfair advantage. Ruby’s tall, lythe physique is not really genetic, nor is it a product of her exercise regime. Ruby was born into a family of lycanthropes, and her mother turned her when she was just a little kid. She had long ago gotten control of her monthly alter ego, so no one had anything to fear from Ruby the Big, Bad Wolf. Except when she used her strength to her advantage when wrestling with her friends.

“Ruby,” Emma moans, playfully punching her friend in the side. Ruby retaliates by putting her in a headlock, which Emma only halfheartedly tries to escape.

“Ladies, shouldn’t you be getting to class?” Professor Mills drawls. Ruby is terrified of the potions master, but Emma just grins cheekily.

“Free period, ma’am,” Emma lies smoothly.

“Well, do stop wrestling in the corridors. Perhaps you could go to the library, start that assignment I gave you yesterday?” Professor Mills suggests. The girls nod, running off to try and get to Charms before they’re late.

 

“The storm’s starting,” Ruby informs the third year girl’s dormitory, sitting in the windowsill. She rests her temple against the glass, sighing as the rain pounds against the glass.

“I’m going to bed now, then,” Emma says. “It’s easier to fall asleep before the thunder starts,” she explains when Ruby turns to give her a curious look.

“Me too!” Ruby squeals, bounding into her bed, right next to Emma’s.

“Night guys,” Emma calls to the rest of the girls. They murmur their goodnights as Ruby and Emma draw their curtains closed, leaving open only the part where their beds face each other.

“Night Em,” Ruby whispers.

“Night Rubes.”

 

Ruby woke when the thunder started. 

She blamed her wolf senses. Even though she knew the thunder was miles away, it sounded like it was crashing overhead. She tried putting a pillow over her ears, stuffing in her fingers, anything. But the noise was too much. She just growled lowly in the back of her throat and resolved to spend the rest of the night awake. 

She was restless, and couldn’t find anything to do. She didn’t want to read, or do schoolwork. She tried to walk around, but didn’t want to wake any of the other girls. So, she spent a long time with her forehead pressed against the window, watching the storm get closer. The thunder was deafening by the time she got back in her bed, but she could still hear the voice.

“R-ruby? Can I come sleep with you? I d-don’t like thunder,” the voice whimpers, almost lost in the rolling thunder. After a few moments, Ruby realizes it was Emma who had spoken. She laughs. “It’s not fun-  _ ahh!- _ not funny,” Emma moans, screaming as the lightning illuminates the room. 

“I know, I know. But seriously, our badass White Knight superhero, the girl who saved that first year from falling off the staircase, the girl who jumped into the lake after a boy fell in, the girl who rescued Fang from that crazy-ass dragon attack, that girl is afraid of  _ thunder _ ?” Ruby chuckles.

“Stop it,” Emma whimpers, wincing as the thunder cracks. Ruby can smell the fear radiating off of her, and wonders how she hadn’t noticed her friend’s distress before now.

“Come over here, you dope,” Ruby chuckles. Emma lunges over, crawling under the covers. She wraps herself into a ball, and Ruby pulls her close, slowly loosening her tight limbs. The bed is small, so Ruby wriggles Emma around to make it more comfortable. In the end, Emma is practically on top of Ruby, her head resting on Ruby’s chest. Ruby can feel her flinch with every thunderous boom, and hugs her tighter. “How did I never notice you’re so afraid of thunder?”

“Usually happens during the day. Never this bad,” Emma mumbles. Ruby peeks down at her to find Emma’s eyes closed tightly, as if that would help block the noise. Ruby runs a hand through her hair, trying to soothe her.

“Granny used to tell me that thunder was, like, angels bowling or something,” Ruby offers. Emma’s chuckle is cut off by another peal of thunder. In the light of the lightning bolt, Ruby can see the tear tracks staining Emma’s face. “She’d remind me that thunder is really scary, but only because it’s loud. It’s just a noise and it can’t hurt us,” Ruby continues in a hushed whisper. One hand traces patterns on Emma’s back while the other is intertwined in her hair. “And then, she’d hug me close, and remind me that I’m a part of her pack. And we don’t let our pack get hurt, or scared.” Emma sniffles, but Ruby can feel her starting to relax, as if she’s falling back asleep. Ruby glances to make sure they’ve fully closed the curtains. “You’re part of my pack, Em. And I won’t let you get hurt, or scared,” Ruby finishes with a whisper, unlikely to be heard above the pounding of the rain and the screaming of the thunder.

“And you’re my pack,” Emma sighs. She sounds like she’s more asleep than awake, but Ruby smiles all the same.

They wake in the morning, still snuggled close, to find that the rain had stopped overnight.


	25. The Proposal (Genderbent Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina brings Emmett home to Cora. Meeting his girlfriend's mom Emmett wants to make an impression so he can ask Regina to marry him. However all through dinner Cora is putting Regina down and making off handed remarks on anything her daughter says. Zelena participates in this as well. Fed up with this he takes Regina's hand and the two apparate away. Appearing beside the black lake Regina is crying and Emmett feels bad. Deciding he's still going to propose he still does it under the stars not caring for anyone's permission to marry the woman he loves. ~~DisturbingVision

“Oh, don’t be stupid, Regina,” Zelena guffaws. Emmett grits his teeth. He had just wanted to have a nice dinner with his girlfriend’s mother and sister. He was going to ask Cora Mills for permission to marry her daughter. He knew he didn’t need it, but Cora would like things traditional, and Regina likes keeping Cora happy. It usually kept her quiet. But tonight, Cora and Zelena wouldn’t shut up.

“It’s not stupid,” Regina defends herself. But it didn’t matter, her mother and older sister were already moving on, ignoring the youngest. It always went like this. They would bring up some topic, Regina would weigh in on the discussion, and they would mock her ruthlessly, or dismiss her.

“Can you believe this mudblood got the law passed?” Zelena asks her mother. Emmett clenches his fist. He might be a muggleborn (he was an orphan, so he didn’t know his parents), and resented the older Mills women’s opinions on muggles, and muggleborn.

“Well, she’s married to that Potter boy’s best friend,” Cora sniffs. Emmett had read about Hermione Granger-Weasley, and her new law for house elf rights. Of course Cora and Zelena would hate it.

“She is really smart, though. She didn’t get in based on her name,” Regina points out. Regina and Emmett had been in school around the same time as the Golden Trio, and had seen Hermione Granger in action.

“Regina, don’t be fooled. She’s not nearly as smart as people think she is. Now, we know she’s not rich, since she married one of the  _ Weasley brood _ ,” Cora sneers. “So she didn’t pay someone to get the law. Wonder who she slept with.”

“She’s not that attractive, couldn’t have been that,” Zelena guffaws.

“She got the law passed on her own merit,” Emmett interrupted. “And because it was a good law, one that should have been passed.” Zelena laughs, and Cora just rolls her eyes.

“So, Regina, how’s that nice, little job at Hogwarts?” Cora simpers, changing the subject. Regina smiles. She had gotten a job as the new Potions Mistress at Hogwarts at the start of the year, and was absolutely loving it.

“Oh, fantastic!” Her eyes light up as she starts to regale her family with a story about one of her third years. Emmett smiles, already having heard this story, but the other occupants at the table just rolled their eyes.

“Sounds really boring,” Zelena interrupts. Regina’s face falls.

“Well, maybe you did have to be there to really, uh, appreciate how funny it was,” Regina says sadly. “But, yeah, my job is going well.”

“That’s nice, dear,” Cora says, her tone dismissive. “But I still wish you would have done something better with your life.”

“Well,” Regina says, her voice breaking imperceptibly. “I’m sorry to have disappointed you, mother.” She stands up, shoving her chair out from the table. “If you don’t mind, I’ll be going, now.” She storms out of the house, leaving her family rolling their eyes, and guffawing at her dramatics.

“I hope you’re happy,” Emmett growls.

“Oh, no wonder you two are together. You’re just as bad as my sister is,” Zelena sighs. “You and your dramatics. You’re worse than the muggles.”

“She is not  _ dramatic _ . God, you two are the worst. Now I understand why she never wants to visit you guys. How did she stand seventeen years with you before she turned of age and left?”

“Excuse you, Mr. Swan,” Cora starts darkly, standing. Emmett just shoves his chair out from the table, squaring his shoulders and glaring down at her. He fingers the handle of his wand gently in his pocket.

“Yes, ma’am?” he asks, daring her to say something. He’s not above jinxing her. Not when he thinks about how hurt Regina was. Neither woman says anything. “You two don’t deserve her,” he sneers. “Don’t ever darken our doorstep again.” And he spins on the spot, picturing their special place. They had met on the bank of the Black Lake in their third year at Hogwarts. 

Oh, sure, they had seen each other in the halls, and in some classes. But Regina was the good girl, top of the form, and in Ravenclaw. Emmett was just an average boy from Gryffindor, stubborn and nowhere near deserving her. But the first time they truly spoke, the time they connected, happened on the Black Lake. Regina had just received a Howler from her mother, and it exploded in the Great Hall, screaming her incompetencies for the entire school to hear. When she had run out in tears, Emmett followed her. They had started dating shortly after.

So, when the world stopped spinning, Emmett found himself on the shore of the Black Lake, the one stretch of shore not protected by Hogwarts’ boundaries. She was sitting on the ground, her knees tucked into her chest, her shoulders shaking the only indication she was crying, silent otherwise.

“They don’t matter,” Emmett whispers, picking Regina up and shifting her onto his lap. She rests with her back against his chest, still curled tightly in a ball. He wraps his arms around her tightly.

“They’re m-my family. O-of c-course they m-matter,” Regina whimpers.

“No,” Emmett says stoutly. “If they treat you like that, they’re not your family.” Regina just continues to cry. He holds her, humming softly, counting the stars until she stops crying. “Stand up, babe,” he whispers in her ear. She rise, and he holds her hands. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this,” he says with a smile.

“Do what?” she asks, sniffing. He tilts his head, looking at her. Even with her eyes puffy and red, she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen.

“I have loved you for years. And we’ve been through a lot. We fought in a war. We helped rebuild Hogwarts, literally. We’ve lived on separate continents, when I was in South America with the Aurors. We’ve seen the best, and the worst, and you’ve always been my rock, babe,” he says softly, leaning down to press his forehead against hers. She’s crying again, but smiling now. “I had planned to ask your mother’s permission, and I know that’s archaic, and you don’t need that, but I thought it would be nice. But, since we decided she doesn’t matter, I guess I don’t need her permission to do this anymore. So,” he says, taking a deep breath. He pulls away from her and drops to one knee, reaching into his pocket for the little blue velvet box. “Regina Maria Mills, would you do me the honor of being my wife?” And just like in the movies, Regina’s hands go to cover her mouth. She can’t find the words, so she just nods.

“Yes,” she finally croaks, taking the ring. Emmett whoops, jumping up. He grabs her around the waist and swings her around. “Yes, Emmett, yes,” Regina says again. He throws his head back laughing.

  
They didn’t invite Cora and Zelena to the wedding.


	26. Swimming Lesson (Sea Devil)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your otp going to the beach and one of them doesn’t know how to swim so the other has to teach them. Bonus: they have floaties.

“I do  _ not _ want to do this,” Cruella growls.

“I figured you’d prefer  _ here _ to the Black Lake tomorrow afternoon, darling,” Ursula croons, gesturing to the prefect’s bathroom around them. Neither of the seventh year Slytherins were prefects, but they got the password from their house mate Regina, a sixth year. When Ursula found out that her girlfriend had a terrible fear of the water, she had to intervene. She had dragged Cruella to the prefect’s bathroom in the middle of the night on winter break, when there were guaranteed to be no intruders. Cruella was now standing on the edge of the pool-sized tub. “This is much warmer, and far more private. No meddling grindylows, or merpeople.”

“I am  _ not _ coming in,” Cruella repeats. Ursula swills the water just below her feet, gently splashing Cruella. “Don’t splash me.”

“Look, I won’t let anything happen to you. Swimming is a good life skill.” Cruella withers just a bit.

“Mother never let me swim…” she whispers. “She said I would drown myself if I tried.” Ursula frowns, climbing out of the tub to grab her wand. She casts a silent spell, and Cruella is engulfed in smoke for a moment before frowning at her girlfriend.

“Are these swimming floaties? For children?” Cruella sneers, holding out her arms. Ursula smiles, inspecting the black and white inflatable water wings decorated with sea creatures.

“This way, you can’t drown, even if you try,” Ursula explains.

“I hate you, you know?” Cruella asks. Ursula just grins, kissing her girlfriend’s cheek before jumping in the pool.

“If you hate me, prove me wrong. Come swimming. And, if you love me, you’ll come swimming just for fun.” Cruella narrows her eyes, but walks down the steps into the water. She is still able to touch the ground, but Ursula floats over to her, grinning broadly. “So, love me or hate me?” Cruella doesn’t answer.

“Teach me how to swim,” she says simply. Ursula rolls her eyes, but pulls Cruella deeper into the water, forcing her to rely on her ability to float. Based on the panic in her eyes, Ursula knows that Cruella is secretly glad she can fall back on those stupid floaties.


	27. Anything Yours Can Do, Mine Can Do Better (Swan Queen and Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on this summary, but I'm afraid I don't remember exactly who suggested this!
> 
>  
> 
> "Ruby/Regina Brotp? Like, with them both as professors? Discussing their favourite students. (Naturally Belle and Emma) that's quite vague isn't it? Do with it what you will."

“Alright, Red, I bet you five galleons that my NEWT students have accomplished more than yours,” Regina says, grinning drunkenly at her best friend.

“Pfft,” Ruby snickers. “My NEWT kids are great. You’re on.”

“Emma Swan is the-  _ hic _ \- sorry, the smartest witch I’ve taught,” Regina beams proudly. Emma, a sixth year Gryffindor, was a muggleborn orphan, but was clearly one of the brightest witches of her age.

“Have you never taught Belle French? Girl’s a walking library of information,” Ruby laughs. On the first of every month, Ruby and Regina dedicate a night to getting drunk and discussing whose students were better: Ruby’s Transfiguration students, or Regina’s Charms students. For the past few years, it had always come between Belle and Emma.

“I was giving an introduction on nonverbal spells the other day, and before I even started talking about the practicals, Emma was filling up my water with her mouth clamped shut,” regina brags. “She just, she just  _ gets it _ , Ruby!”

“Please, Belle just informed me today that she’s working on becoming an animagus,” Ruby says. “And, she did her first nonverbal spell last week in my class when we were talking advanced theory.”

“Liar,” Regina accuses. “You just want her to beat Emma.”

“Prove it!” Ruby challenges.

“Emma got top marks on her last paper, even above your beloved Belle.” Ruby narrows her eyes.

“I told Belle she should go into Transfiguration, she’s got such a talent for it.”

“Emma could work in any private charm making company. I’m tutoring her on the side to help her learn how to create her own charms.”

“Belle can turn my desk into a pig and back again.”

“Emma can remember any spell. Ask her for anything, she can make it appear in an instant. If there isn’t a spell to make it, she’ll make one up.”

“Can she make more of this cider?” Ruby asks, pointing to the empty bottle. Normally, this should signal the end of the night. But Regina just smirks and fills the bottle with a flick of her wand. It’s Saturday, after all. They have nowhere to be in the morning. They each take a swig, and continue their argument.

 

“What day is it, Belle?” Emma asks.

“The second, why?”

“Mills and Lucas aren’t here,” Emma snickers, gesturing to their empty seats at the table in the Great Hall.

“Ah, yes, their monthly battles,” Belle remarks fondly. It was no secret to the two girls that their teachers had been betting on them since first year, but neither girl minded. Emma was incredibly competitive, and glad Belle was always challenging her. Belle just liked to learn more, and to know more, so she naturally shined.

“Anything your kid can do, mine can do better,” Emma mocks.

“My wand is bigger than yours,” Belle adds childishly.

“What are they gonna do after we graduate?” Emma asks curiously. “Who will they argue about?”

“Us,” Belle says confidently. “Who’s got the better paying job, who’s more successful, all that stuff. And, like always, I’ll win,” she grins cheekily.

“As if, French,” Emma scoffs, elbowing her friend playfully. Belle just rolls her eyes and eats her toast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading, lovelies! Send in prompts, and pairings you'd like to see!


	28. Opposites Attract (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Good girl Belle develops a crush on bad girl Ruby and goes to the notorious lesbian Emma Swan for advice.” ~~LemongrassAndSleep

To say Ruby and Belle were like oil and water would be an understatement.

Both Gryffindor fourth years, they never seemed to be able to get along. Belle was the stereotypical good girl. She was top of the form, her hand was always the first one raised in class, and she never broke the rules. If it was up to her, Gryffindor would win the House Cup every year. But for every good girl, there has to be a rebel, and that’s where Ruby came in. She constantly snuck out past curfew, argued with the teachers, and broke all the rules. She lost nearly as many points as Belle gained, and it was infuriating.

Belle doesn’t hate people. But she  _ loathes _ Ruby.

 

The first time Belle feels something other than loathing for Ruby, she doesn’t even realize it.

Belle had just garnered twenty five points for Gryffindor in one Charms class, a personal best. It was between classes, and Ruby was horsing around with her friend Graham, shoving him right into Professor White. Despite her soft spot for Ruby, Professor White glared at the girl.

“No rough housing in the halls, Ruby.” Ruby just snickers, grinning at Graham. “Ten points from Gryffindor.  _ Each _ .” Ruby wilts a little bit, having just lost twenty points for her house. Belle was livid. As soon as Professor White was gone, she stormed over to Ruby.

“Why do you do this?” Belle asked, hands on her hips. Ruby shrank back under Belle’s surprising ire, but only for a moment before she squared her shoulders and matched Belle’s glare with a sneer.

“Do what? Have fun? You should get the stick out of your ass and try it some time,” Ruby retorts. Belle flushes.

“I know how to have  _ fun _ ,” she hisses, stepping closer. Ruby raises one eyebrow in a smirk, and steps even closer. Personal space is no longer a thing anymore.

“Yeah?  _ Prove it _ ,” Ruby leers. Belle squirms, before letting out a high pitched whine of frustration before stomping away. She would tell anyone who asked that she was just frustrated with Ruby. She wouldn’t even know how to put a name to that fluttering, anxious feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. But, she realized as she sat in Potions class that she actually liked the feeling.

 

The second time she felt something different, she started to recognize it.

It was late at night, and thunder was crashing overhead. Belle woke because she can never sleep through thunder, so she sits up in her bed, clutching the blanket around her shoulders, watching as the lightning crashes. When Ruby stands and goes downstairs, Belle frowns. She’d just earned ten points for Gryffindor that day, and she didn’t want Ruby ruining it, so she followed the other girl down into the common room. She was about to open her mouth when she found Ruby just curling up on the couch in front of the fire, a blanket around her shoulders.

“If you came to bitch at me, don’t bother. I’m not really in the mood,” Ruby snaps. Belle blushes, and steps into the common room, sitting on the other end of the couch.

“I thought you were going to sneak out,” Belle admits.

“Well, I’m not. So, you can go,” Ruby says harshly. Belle flinches. Ruby won’t even look at her.

“Sorry for interrupting,” Belle snaps, but when she sits back in her room, it isn’t anger that she feels. It’s hurt.

 

The third time, Belle knows she’s really in trouble.

She was in the library, studying for a test in charms next week when she hears Ruby and her friends enter. Ideally, you shouldn’t be able to tell when someone enters the library. They  _ should _ be quiet. But, of course, Ruby doesn’t follow the rules  _ ever _ . So, Belle is already irritated at them for ruining her library time, but she tries to ignore that fluttering feeling in her stomach, and grits her teeth.

“Rubes, do we  _ have  _ to be here?” one of them whines. Belle doesn’t bother looking up.

“Shh,” Ruby scolds. “I have an essay due in care of magical creatures.” Belle tilts her head, glancing up at Ruby. Belle’s in that class, and they don’t have an essay due. Hagrid rarely assigns essays.

“But the library is  _ boring _ ,” the same voice moans. Belle has to resist the urge to stand up and smack them with a book. How  _ dare  _ they insult her library?

“Then go,” Ruby snaps quietly. Belle has to listen carefully to hear her conversation now, and she really should stop actively eavesdropping, but she doesn’t. “I have to work so if you’re going to be annoying just  _ go _ .”

“Jeez,” Graham mumbles. Belle looks up, glaring at him as he leaves with August Booth, who must have been the other voice. “What’s crawled up her ass and died?” he asks loudly. Ruby grumbles, but settles into the table next to Belle’s, smiling sheepishly.

“We don’t have a care of magical creatures essay,” Belle whispers.

“Who asked you?” Ruby snaps, glaring at Belle.

“What are you really doing?” Belle asks. After receiving glares from a few other kids studying, Belle moves closer, sitting next to Ruby to continue their conversation.

“I’m writing an essay,” Ruby hisses, shifting in her seat to cover the scroll. Belle glances at the books piled in front of Ruby. 

“This is all potions, and transfiguration. We don’t have essays in those classes either. What are you doing?”

“Why do you care?” Ruby asks, but there’s a whine in her voice now.

“I don’t know.” Belle tilts her head and sighs, as if waiting for Ruby to speak.

“I’m in danger of failing,” Ruby grits out, lowering her head as her face burns in shame. “They told me I had to do extra credit if I even wanted to make it to fifth year.” Belle bites her lip and scoots closer.

“I can help you,” Belle offers. “How much work did they assign you?” Ruby still won’t meet her eye.

“I don’t need your help.”

“How much work?” Belle persists.

“An essay, three feet long, on the basic principles of potions. Another essay, four feet long, on the practical uses of Gallipott’s laws, and ways that we can circumvent them. And an essay for each professor on why I let everything get this bad,” Ruby mutters.

“That’s a lot of work,” Belle muses. “I think I can help you,” Belle offers in a singsong voice.

“Why would you even want to help me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Belle asks. And when Ruby looks up and grins shyly at her, Belle feels her stomach turn, and her toes start to tingle. And she knows she’s in trouble.

 

“You come into my house on the day of my daughter’s wedding, and ask me for advice?” Emma says in a gravelly voice. Belle just tilts her head.

“You don’t have a daughter,” Belle points out. Emma groans.

“You wizards don’t know any good movie quotes.  _ The Godfather _ ? Hello? Best movie!” Emma groans teasingly.

“Emma, I really need your help!” Belle whines. Emma Swan, Gryffindor seventh year, just grins at her from across the desk. When Belle had told her she needed advice, Emma told her to meet her in an empty classroom on the sixth floor.

“Why did you come to  _ me _ , of all people, for relationship advice, Belle French? You are the straightest of the straight girls,” Emma says, raising an eyebrow. Belle squirms. Sure, she had had a few boys, a few dates that went nowhere, but she wouldn’t say she was  _ the straightest of the straights _ . “Alright, tell the fairy god-lesbian all your problems,” Emma finally sighs. And it’s true, Emma Swan is basically the fairy godmother to all of the gay students of Hogwarts. She came out in her second year, and had gone through all of the stages of dating, and abuse, and bullying. So, anytime anyone needed help with an issue regarding their sexuality, their relationship, or their crush, they came to her. “Lesbi-honest, Belle. Come on, tell me.” And just like that, it comes rushing out.

“I think I’ve got a crush on a girl,” Belle says quickly, as if she doesn’t get them out in one breath, she won’t say it.

“Ruby Lucas!” Emma crows, and Belle blushes, staring at her feet. “Please,  _ please _ tell me it’s Ruby Lucas!” Belle nods embarrassedly. “I knew it! I called it! I’ve been saying it for years!” Emma shouts.

“Shh, shh, someone will hear you,” Belle begs.

“Alright, alright, fine. Pull up a chair, my dear, and let the grand poobah of Hogwart’s homosexual population give you the lesbian talk,” Emma smirks. Belle’s face gets impossibly redder as she drags over a chair. Emma beckons for her to come around so that they’re on the same side of the desk. “Have you kissed her yet?” Emma asks before Belle can even settle in the chair.

“No!” Belle squeaks in surprise. Emma smirks at her. Quietly, Belle asks, “how did you know? I only just figured it out.”

“You guys were always arguing,” Emma shrugs.

“And?” Belle asks.

“You guys would argue, and always,  _ always _ end up within inches of each other. I was in the common room when you guys were arguing about points one time. I swear, I could have cut the sexual tension with a knife.” Emma’s grinning now. “How’d  _ you _ realize? Always thought you’d be oblivious until she made a move.”

Belle shrugs. “I don’t know. I was just, I was talking to- to her, you know? And, there was this- this, I don’t know, this  _ feeling _ . I can’t describe it.”

“Did you wanna kiss her?”

“Mhmm,” Belle mumbles.

“Did you make a move?” Belle shakes her head.

“But I am tutoring her now, or, well, helping her study.”

“So you have an opportunity to make a move,” Emma grins wickedly. “Tell me, Belle. Do you think about her, like, a lot?” Belle nods, certain that her entire body is on fire. “Have you ever seen her  _ undress _ ?” And the way she says it, the way the image floods her mind, makes Belle just want the floor to swallow her. Because she  _ has _ seen Ruby undress. They share a bedroom, for God’s sake! She’s seen her undress plenty of times, and now, every one of those moments is on replay in her mind. As if she knows this, Emma laughs. “And now, you’re getting all hot and bothered thinking about it.”

“What do I  _ do _ ?” Belle whimpers. “I’ve never kissed a girl, never even  _ liked _ a girl before! I’m, well, I  _ thought _ I was straight!” Emma composes her face.

“Listen to me, Belle. Sometimes, our sexuality is not as… fixed as we thought. Sometimes, we just meet the right person. Belle, we don’t control our emotions. Love is love,” she explains. And Belle understands why everyone goes to Emma. As goofy, and silly, and teasing as she is, she knows what to say. And when Belle starts crying, Emma knows to pull her in, pull her onto her lap, and stroke her hair.

“Wha-what if she d-doesn’t like me?” Belle sobs. “Wh-what do I d-do? Or, oh G-god, my father! What w-will he s-say?”

“Shhh, hush child, and let the fairy god-lesbian do what she does best. Shhh, stop crying. First of all, Ruby Lucas is head-over-heels for you. I know this for a  _ fact. _ ”

“H-how?” Belle whimpers, her sobs subsiding into occasional hiccups, and sniffles.

“Fairy god-lesbian and patient confidentiality. Can’t disclose,” Emma says with a grin. She can tell Belle is frowning, so she keeps stroking the girl’s hair. “But trust me. She lo- likes you a lot. And your dad? Don’t worry about that unless you have to. He’ll probably be okay with it, so long as you’re happy.” Belle chuckles, nodding. She slips out of Emma’s grasp and sits back on her chair, wiping at her eyes.

“You must think I’m a total nut,” Belle laughs.

“No. Just crazy for your girl.”

“She’s not  _ mine _ ,” Belle whispers.

“So, when you’re studying, make her yours. Here’s the best advice I can give you. She likes you. A lot. But she’s scared, like you are. So when you guys argue, like you always do, and you get really, really close, just look at her lips. Just a second. And, maybe lean in a little. If she looks at your lips, or leans in, too, that’s like, a sign that she wants you to kiss her. So then, you just keep leaning in, and you kiss her,” Emma says lowly, whispering and leaning in.

“And that’ll work?” Belle whispers back. Emma leans back into her chair, smirking again.

“Trust the fairy god-lesbian, eh?” Emma chuckles, ruffling Belle’s hair. “Now go, my child. Be free. Spread the lesbian-ness.”

 

It was a week later before Belle got a chance to “spread the lesbian-ness” as Emma put it. She and Ruby were getting along, mostly, while sitting in the library finishing her make-up work. But after a week of good behavior, Ruby sneaks out in the middle of the night, losing the house fifty points. Fifty points which Belle had just earned in classes that week.

“What is wrong with you?” Belle shrieks in the common room the next afternoon. The other Gryffindors clear out, knowing the girls need space when they argue. “I worked so hard to get those points! You’ve been doing so well! What the hell happened?”

“I got mad, okay? Is that alright with you, princess?” Ruby shouts back.

“No, it’s not alright! Your entire house works so damn hard, and I’m sick of you ruining it for us!”

“God, I don’t  _ like _ doing it!” Ruby shouts, and suddenly, they’re so close. Face to face.

“So, why the hell do you do it?” Belle breathes, and Ruby is so close she can feel Belle’s breath, warm on her face.

“Because sometimes, I feel trapped,” Ruby sighs, and she steps closer, so close that her feet are touching Belle’s. “And I like to run. When I get mad, I run. When I get lonely, I run. And when I get  _ scared _ ,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “I run. So, my apologies for ruining our House Cup chances.” And suddenly, Belle remembers what Emma told her. Her gaze drops down to Ruby’s lips. So plump, and pink. Perfectly shaped. She wonders if they’re as soft as she imagines. She looks back into Ruby’s eyes to find her pupils have dilated, and Belle leans in. There’s a guttural noise that comes from Ruby’s throat, and she gulps, glancing down at Belle’s lips. She leans in.

“Ruby,” Belle breathes. And no one can be sure who leaned in, who kissed whom. But suddenly, it was like there was no air left in Belle’s body. And there was entirely too much. Her body was on fire, her skin tingled. And then, she was falling. She landed roughly on the couch, Ruby on top of her. And her hands are tangled in Ruby’s hair, and one is on her hip. Ruby’s hands find their way onto her ass, on her ribcage, under her shirt. Ruby’s hands leave a trail of fire, and Ruby pulls her mouth away. Belle whines, but it turns into a breathy moan when Ruby’s mouth moves to her neck.

“I  _ told you _ ,” someone shouted, and the girls spring apart, breathing hard, red-faced, hair mussed up. They look up to see a crowd of people in the stairwells leading up to both the boys’ and girls’ dormitories. Emma Swan stands at the bottom, grinning proudly. “I told you,” she says again, pointing to the girls. “Now, who owes me money?” She looks around and several people start handing her coins.

“Fairy god-lesbian my ass,” Ruby mutters, her cheeks a pleasant shade of pink. Belle smiles at her. “More like a big lesbian cockblock.”

“So, why don’t we go somewhere she can’t, uh, interrupt?” Belle mumbles playfully, taking Ruby’s hand.

“It’s past curfew,” Ruby points out.

“So, we’ll have to make sure we don’t get caught,” Belle grins, kissing Ruby’s cheek. To the cheers of the entire Gryffindor house, the girls run out of the dorm, into the darkened hallways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being patient with me! Here's some red beauty for your troubles! <3 Love you guys!


	29. Can and Will (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, this is a continuation of Chapter 23... Which was angsty and I was so sorry, so I made it less angsty...

_ “In another life, right?” she laughs, but it’s a watery, teary laugh. _

_ “Not another life, Emma. Another  _ time _ ,” Regina specifies gently. _

 

That exchange rattled around in Emma’s head.  _ Another time. Another time. Another time. _ She found herself constantly checking her watch, or the clock, passing time with the sun, or the moon.  _ Another time. Another time. Another time. _ She sleeps the days away wondering when another time will come.

 

Two months after Christmas, and Regina can’t ignore it anymore.

Emma is depressed. All of the teachers are wondering what happened to the happy, carefree girl who was top of the form. She was slouching through classes, frowning and giving surly responses when called on. Her assignments were subpar, if she even bothered passing them in. Regina knew exactly why the dark circles under Emma’s eyes were growing, and why she was so sullen and withdrawn, but she couldn’t tell any of the other teachers.

She’ll have to take matters into her own hands.

 

“Miss Swan,” Regina calls as most of the students try to hurry out. Hearing who is being asked to stay after, when that usually means a scolding, kids linger. Emma doesn’t even look up. “Miss Swan, I need to speak with you. Now.” Emma freezes, one foot out of the door, and spins on her heel, glaring at Regina. She shoos the other students out while Emma drops her bags unceremoniously on the floor, crossing her arms protectively over her chest.

“Did I do something,  _ Professor _ ?” Emma asks, her words dripping with poison. Regina wants to flinch back from her.

“No, Miss Swan, that’s the problem. You’re not doing anything,” Regina says, trying to find a balance between gentle and stern.

“And?”

“Emma, you’re in danger of failing. All of your classes. You need to do-”

“God, I do too much for you, then I don’t do enough? Look, I don’t have time for this intervention,  _ Professor Mills _ , I have to go to class,” Emma interrupts in frustration.

“Sit. Down,” Regina orders coolly. Scared at the shift in tone, Emma takes her seat. “Five points from Gryffindor for your interruption. Emma, we need to talk about this.”

“Please, stop,” Emma whispers, closing her eyes. “Don’t call me Emma. I can’t- I- just please,” she begs. 

“Miss Swan, I understand how you are feeling,” Regina starts.

“Do you?” Emma asks. “When did  _ your _ teacher humiliate you, crush your heart?” Emma’s eyes are watering, and it is physically painful for Regina to look at her.

“The thing about heartbreak is that everyone goes through it. We all know that. But when we’re experiencing it, it feels like the first time it has ever happened. It feels like the worst thing to ever happen. It is a unique experience where it is an emotion of deep camaraderie, and deep intimacy. So, though I have never had  _ exactly _ this experience, I do know heartbreak,” Regina explains. Emma cants her head to the side, silently asking.

“My first love, his name was Daniel. We lived in Maine together, and he was a stableboy. But he was muggleborn, and mother disapproved. The summer I turned seventeen, just when I was ready to run away with him, he died. A car crash, so they said. But I didn’t believe it. I still think my mother had a hand in it,” Regina says, her voice barely a whisper in the wind. But the pain registers clearly, and Emma is shaking, trying to control the urge to wrap her arms around her teacher.

“I’m sorry,” Emma whispers.

“I never meant to humiliate you, or crush your heart, Emma,” Regina whispers, and her tears are coming faster now. She’s glad she has a free period right now, and then lunch. She needs time to collect herself. Emma nods in acknowledgement of the apology.

“What do we do now?” Emma asks softly, once Regina has stopped gasping for breath.

“You need to do your work,” Regina says immediately. “If you want this as much as I do, you have to pass this year. All of my reasons for holding off still stand. You are my student. But only for a few more months. If you fail, it’ll be a whole extra year.” Emma nods.

“So… you do want this?” Emma asks shyly. It’s a change, this nervous side of her. But Regina is beautiful, and older, and so out of Emma’s league.

“I do,” Regina affirms, her smile watery. “Do you promise to do better?” Emma nods, and goes to hug Regina. After a moment, she decides on just a handshake.

“For now, we can’t,” Regina whispers. 

“For now, we won’t,” Emma adds.

“But just for now, okay?” Emma nods eagerly. “Now, go back to your dormitory.”

“But I have-”

“I’ll settle everything with Professor Lucas, alright? Just go, take a minute to yourself. Start working on make-up assignments.”

“Yes, Professor,” Emma whispers thankfully before running off.

 

It’s five months later when Emma can finally hug Regina.

They waited until July, until after the end of the school year had passed. Regina had met Emma in a small coffee shop in Muggle London, and Emma had greeted her with a hug. She liked seeing her teacher in her casual wear, jeans and a short sleeved red blouse.

“So, can I call you Regina, now?” Emma asks, grinning impishly.

“Alright  _ Em-ma _ ,” Regina purrs. “So, what have you been doing since the end of school?”

“I got a job,” Emma beams. “At the Firebolt company, like you suggested. I’m just an intern, but I get to work on charming some of the lower model brooms, and it’s part time, so I have time for a more boring, Muggle job to make some money.”

“Look at you, acting like a grown up,” Regina praises.

“I had a pretty great example,” Emma smiles.

“So you did,” Regina whispers, leaning in. Neither woman is sure who closes the distance, but this time when they kiss, neither jumps apart. Because they can. And, Regina thinks, she will be doing this as often as possible.


	30. The Hogwarts Express (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Imagine your OTP are strangers in a crowded subway carriage. Person A is standing, Person B has managed to find an empty seat. Some obnoxious idiot comes crashing through the carriage, bumping into everyone left, right, and center. Including Person A who is knocked directly Person B’s lap. Bonus: After awkwardly apologizing, Person A attempts to stand back up only to be held back down by Person B.”

It was September 1st, precisely twelve years after the Battle of Hogwarts.

The train station was more crowded than it ever had been. Belle’s mum had accredited the crowds to what she referred to as a “baby boom” (Belle wished her mother hadn’t gone into such  _ detail _ on what that meant). Now, all of the wizarding children in the new baby boomer generation were turning 11, and ready to go to Hogwarts. 

Belle was one of the last ones onto the train, having difficulty extracting herself from the embraces of her parents. But finally, just before the train leaves, she is boarding, trying to drag her trunk through the crowds. She has managed to find a compartment to stow it in, a relatively empty compartment aside from two girls who are chatting happily. 

Belle was standing on her toes, reaching to put the trunk on the overhead carriage when a crowd comes rushing in, desperate to take the last few open seats. One platinum blond girl curses in French, shoving around everyone. She checks Belle with her hip, and the poor young brunette goes flying. Her balance is thrown off even more as the train lurches forward. She trips over the tangle of feet on the floor and lands directly on the lap of one of the girls who was first in the carriage. 

She blinks, surprised for a moment before smiling wolfishly down at Belle. Belle pauses for a moment, her face flushing nearly as red as the girl’s colorful streaks. The rest of the cabin has quieted down, and all of the other riders are staring at Belle, still entwined on the girl’s lap. To add insult to injury, most of them seem to be older than Belle, second or third years, at least.

“Um, sorry,” Belle squeaks, too stunned to move. “I’m Belle. I didn’t mean to fall on you like that, I just lost my balance.”

“Happens. I’m Ruby. Gryffindor. You?” The girl grins.

“Um, I don’t know,” Belle mumbles, squirming as she tries to stand up.

“First year?” Belle shifts and starts to lean forward to get her feet back on the ground, but Ruby’s arms suddenly encircle her waist, trapping her on her lap.

“Yeah. Um, can I… get down?” she mumbles, her face growing redder as everyone snickers.

“No,” Ruby says simply. Belle whines, wriggling around.

“But-”

“Tell me Belle, do you see any other available seats?” Ruby asks. Belle shakes her head. She hates how everyone seems to be laughing at her, but Ruby’s lap is comfortable. She leans against Ruby’s chest. “You guys were out there; are there any open seats?” The newest entries shake their heads.

“I heard the conductor saying they’d have to add extra cars next year to accommodate the increase in enrollment,” someone pipes up.

“So, you sit with me, or on the floor,” Ruby says happily. She reaches up, turning Belle so that she is leaning against the window, her legs draped over Ruby. Belle hastens to draw them in, avoiding them spilling onto the other girl’s lap. She leans over, leaning her head on Ruby’s shoulder.

“I guess I’ll sit with you,” she sighs. 

  
An hour later a Ravenclaw Prefect comes by to enlarge the compartment with magic. Ruby and Belle look at each other. Suddenly, they have more than enough room. Belle just shrugs, moving to sit on her own seat, still with her back against the window. Ruby just smiles and moves closer, pulling Belle’s legs onto her lap. They ride that way until they arrive at Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank people for being patient with me. Senior year is extremely stressful, and I'm trying my best to keep writing.


	31. Surprises (Red Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For S_Tidey who requested a RSQ prompt. Sorry it took so long!

“Shhh, Gina,” Emma giggles. “She might hear you!” Ruby stalls in the doorway to the dorm room she shared with one of her two girlfriends. She and Emma were both Gryffindors, Regina a Ravenclaw. Normally, when they snuck Regina up here, it was for a three-way makeout session. Ruby felt like she’d been punched in the gut, betrayed by her girlfriends. Did they want a relationship without her?

“I feel kind of guilty sneaking around like this,” Regina whispers.

“What Ruby doesn’t know won’t hurt her!” Emma insists. Ruby chokes down a growl before launching herself out of the dorm and into the common room.

“Ruby!” August calls as she storms out into the school.

 

“Hate them,” Ruby grumbles, hands in her pockets as she stomps out into the grounds. It was past curfew, and the moon had risen, but Ruby wasn’t afraid, just pissed off. “Stupid, lying, cheating, sneaking little  _ snakes _ ,” she hisses, kicking the mud as she walks. Images flash through her mind as she walks.

_ “Ruby’s so… boring,” Regina drawls, slipping out of her cloak. Emma grins lustfully, already practically naked, laying on Ruby’s bed. “I have much more fun when it’s just the two of us.” _

_ “Oh, I know,” Emma agrees, lunging forward to kiss Ruby. “Sexually inadequate. Inexperienced. A bit of a pillow princess,” she continues, and Ruby’s blood boils as they continue to have sex, a threshold the threesome had never crossed, on Ruby’s bed. _

“I  _ hate _ them!” she shrieks, punching the nearest tree. Pain flares through her knuckles, but she doesn’t care. Another image takes control of her.

_ “You are  _ much _ more fun than Ruby ever was,” Emma pants as she rolls off of Neal Gold, a Slytherin. Regina sighs, watching from the sides. _

_ “Stronger, more attractive, more dominant. Ruby was a terrible Domme,” Regina agrees. _

Ruby whimpers, shaking herself out of this particular daydream. She had always pictured herself as a domineering girl in the bedroom, and had starting experimenting with this scenario in the bedroom, always taking control of the girls when they were together. But she was still uncomfortable in her new role. Always questioning whether she made a decent Domme, or if she wasn’t meant for it. And even though it was all in her head, it hurt to hear her girlfriends saying these things.

_ “Ruby, we just… you aren’t satisfying us,” Regina sighs. And Ruby’s lip wobbles. _

_ “But, I haven’t even had a chance to-” _

_ “You’re not a good kisser,” Emma interrupts. _

_ “Your breath kind of smells,” Regina continues. _

_ “Your hips are too bony.” _

_ “Your boobs aren’t very big.” _

_ “Your face is kind of puffy.” _

_ “You’re ugly. And we just don’t love you. Never really did.” _

“Argh!” Ruby shrieks, kicking at a rock, swearing as her toe makes contact. The rain is pouring down now, and she feels foolish, but is far too angry and hurt to go crawling back to her dormitory with her tail between her legs.

“Ruby!” she hears a voice calling in the distance. “Ruby Lucas, you get your ass back in the castle!” the voice continues. Ruby shivers, hearing Regina yelling at her.

“No,” she mutters, crossing her arms and venturing further from the castle.

“I swear, Ruby, if I ruin my boots because you won’t get your head out of your ass,” Regina shouts, closer now. Ruby hesitates. 

“Regina, stop that! Ruby, we were planning a surprise for your birthday,” Emma calls. Ruby stops in her tracks. Her birthday  _ was _ next week…

“We were going to do a surprise party, but August said he saw you come downstairs all upset, and we realized what it might have sounded like,” Regina continues, and Ruby shivers, feeling incredibly stupid.

“We know your mind kind of jumps to the worst conclusion,” Emma chuckles. 

“We’re not, like, trying to do this without you,” Regina adds. Ruby steps out of the shadows, startling the girls. All three of them are soaking wet from the rain.

“You aren’t?” Ruby asks, suddenly nervous.

“Of course not! We were planning this big surprise party, but we wanted the big surprise to be after… In the Room of Requirement. Just the three of us, and a bed. We wanted you to be in charge,” Emma purrs, and Ruby just melts.

“For my birthday?” Ruby asks.

“Oh, please stop with the puppy dog eyes, you’re killing me!” Regina whines.

“I thought you didn’t want me around anymore,” Ruby admits.

“You must be an idiot,” Emma chuckles. “But can we get out of here? I hate the Forbidden Forest at night, especially when it’s raining.” Emma shivers, throwing an arm around Ruby’s shoulder. Regina throws her arm around Ruby’s other shoulder.

“Maybe… We can move my birthday surprise up?” Ruby suggests eagerly. “I mean, we can still have the party next week, but since the second part isn’t really a surprise anymore…” she trails off, grinning devilishly as they sneak back into the doors.

“Race you to the Room of Requirement,” Emma whispers, taking off childishly. Regina protests, but sprints after her. It isn’t until Ruby flies by them in animagus form that they both protest. It’s not fun racing when one of your girlfriends is a literal wolf.

But hey, she makes one hell of an Alpha female.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have officially run out of prompts to write for this. If you've sent me one and I never wrote it for this, feel free to send it again. I don't have time for long fics, but I can do some one shots if you've got any ideas!


	32. Betrayal (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How about one where Emma and Regina are secretly dating, not even their friends know. On the day of their second anniversary though Regina catches Emma making out with Killian. Heartbroken she destroys the date she'd set up in the ROR and ends up confronting Emma who she finds in Madam Pomfrey's hospital wing the next day because she was under a love potion.” ~~DisturbingVision
> 
>  
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: Non-con/ dubious consent

“Tonight,” Regina mumbles, not looking up from her textbook. Emma, seated across the table from her scratches her nose, signalling she had heard Regina. The cloak and dagger wasn’t ideal, but Cora Mills was not a woman to cross, and Regina was terrified of what her mother might do if everyone found out her daughter was gay. And with her sister Zelena at the school with her, reporting every move to Mother, Regina had to be very careful. So, despite being together for two years as of tonight, no one knew about them. It was too dangerous.

 

It was Regina’s turn to organize their date night in the Room of Requirement, and the fifth year Ravenclaw was ecstatic. She had spent a whole month planning their anniversary extravaganza. She had gotten the Room of Requirement to make movies, a TV, a couch, and had spent her entire afternoon cooking in the kitchens with the House Elves.

And now Emma was late.

Emma was always running a few minutes late, spending far too much time wrapped up in her own thoughts. But even by what Regina had started calling her “Emma-standards” (the acceptable time for Emma to be late, and not get angry), Emma was still late. Nearly half an hour by this point.

“Not snooping,” Regina whispers to herself as she creeps down the hallway, following the path to the Gryffindor Tower. Surely she would cross Emma’s path somewhere along the way, right?

When she heard the distinctive noises of a pre-curfew tryst (the smacking of lips, and breathy moans a dead giveaway), Regina felt the need to sneak around the corner. Sure, she was a prefect, but she didn’t  _ like _ to be the one who broke up couples. So, she tried to be sneaky and not disrupt the couple, but the shock of light blonde hair caught Regina’s eyes. 

She froze.

Emma Swan.  _ Her _ Emma Swan. Was locking lips with Killian Jones, sixth year Slytherin in the hallway. She was  _ moaning _ into him, wrapping her hands in his filthy hair. She was letting him unbutton her shirt further than Regina had ever gotten it. On their anniversary. Two years. Regina had dedicated two  _ years _ to this girl who was throwing it all away like some… tramp in the halls! Where anyone could see! 

Unable to stomach the sight any longer, Regina put a hand to her mouth to block the sobs as she sprinted back to the Room of Requirement. Her first instinct had been to go curl up in her bedroom, draw the curtains, and block everyone out. But she knew that her dorm mates wouldn’t allow this, and needed to hide for a while, vent out all of her emotions.

And what better place to do that than the soundproof Room of Requirement?

 

Regina didn’t ever end up leaving the Room of Requirement that night. She spent most of the night sobbing angrily, punching everything, upending tables, destroying the couch with hexes. She started conjuring up plates just to throw at the wall and watch them smash. She screamed, and yelled, cursed Emma’s name, and basically just wore herself out until she fell asleep on a bed that had appeared as soon as her anger started to ebb (God, she loved magic).

But, with the rising of the sun came the end of her adrenaline rush, and the start of her soreness. Regina was a fit girl, but she was not one for throwing things often, and she had certainly never punched  _ anything _ . So, her bruised and bloodied knuckles were a bit of a surprise.  _ To the hospital wing, I suppose _ , Regina thought ruefully. She took a moment to glance in a mirror, try and fix her puffy eyes before she set off for the hospital wing.

 

“No! Don’t tell me to sit down!” Regina can hear Emma shouting before she even turns down the hallway. She considers coming back later, but refuses to let Emma have that kind of power over her.

“Madame Pomfrey, I need some help healing some bruises,” Regina calls as she enters.

“One second, dear. Bit of an emergency,” Madame Pomfrey calls out, her voice harried. Startled, Regina looks around to find a crowd in here: Professor Slughorn, Headmistress McGonagall, Professor Longbottom, Emma, and- most regrettably- Killian.

“He slipped me a love potion!” Emma shrieks, pointing an accusing finger at the bloodied, and battered Killian. Catching her staring, Madame Pomfrey flicks her wand to pull the curtain in front of Killian, protecting him from Regina’s death glares. “He ruined everything! I’ll kill him!”

“Ms. Swan!” McGonagall shouts. Pouting, Emma falls onto the bed, shooting sidelong glances at Regina, whose own stomach churns.

_ Love potion _ ? she thinks nervously.  _ So… She didn’t… want to cheat? _

“There will be  _ no killing _ ,” McGonagall says sternly. 

“But Miss-”

“No. Killing,” she orders. “The Aurors are coming to deal with Mr. Jones’ punishments, seeing as Amortentia is a restricted substance. You are, of course, within your legal rights to pursue a case against him  _ in the court of law _ . Not in a brawl in the hospital wing.” Emma glares so hard at the curtain that Regina is surprised it doesn’t burst into flames.

“I want him expelled,” Emma mutters, glancing at Professor Longbottom, her head of house.

“Oh, that’s already done,” McGonagall confirms. There’s an indignant squawk from behind the curtain.

“And don’t think we won’t talk about your  _ theft _ of my potions, Mr. Jones!” Slughorn adds to the curtain. Regina smiles into her shoulder.

“Okay, okay, I won’t kill him. Can we finish this exam so I can… uh, go?” Emma asks, glancing at Regina.

“You need some healing, Ms. Mills?” Professor Longbottom asks, coming over to help her. “I’m not as accomplished as Madame Pomfrey, but I can help heal those bruises.”

“Thank you, Professor,” she nods. 

“Mind telling me how you got those?” he asks. Regina bites her lip, feeling foolish now.

“Lost my temper. Decided to take up boxing to vent. No one else got hurt, don’t worry,” she teases. He nods congenially.

“Had to check. The job of a professor,” he admits, shrugging.

“It’s alright professor. That feels much better, thank you. I’ve got to get going. Thank you, sir,” she nods, hurrying to leave as she notices Madame Pomfrey finishing with Emma. They walk down the hall in an awkward silence, not too close to be noticeable, but close enough to hear their whispered conversation.

“Amortentia?” Regina whispers, inspecting her freshly-healed knuckles.

“In my pumpkin juice at dinner,” she nods. “So, you lost your temper?”

“Got stood up,” Regina shrugs.

“I didn’t want to,” Emma pouts, and Regina feels guilty for poking fun at Emma’s misfortune.

“What did he-”

“All the way. I didn’t even realize what was happening until it was over,” Emma whimpers, her chin wobbling. No longer caring about who was watching (she could always tell everyone she had been comforting a distressed student after overhearing of her assault- which was mostly true), Regina threw her arms around Emma. “Are you m-mad?” Emma cries into Regina’s shoulder.

“I was, but not anymore,” Regina nods. “No, I’m not mad. We’ll just… Have a do-over. Tonight, okay? And I’ll come pick you up, to make sure you don’t go  _ astray _ ,” Regina teases.

“You’ll pick me up?” Emma asks, pulling back from the hug. “But what about…?” she trails off.

“I want  _ you _ to be safe. If that means facing my mother’s wrath, so be it. I’m not letting another date night slip away from us, understand?” Regina says sternly.

“I love you,” Emma smiles.

“And I love you,” Regina whispers, leaning forward to press a chaste kiss to her girlfriend’s cheek. “Don’t forget,  _ tonight _ . Meet you outside your common room,” she breathes into Emma’s ear.

“ _ Tonight _ ,” Emma confirms. Somehow, Regina knows this will be much better than she had originally planned.


	33. Cheater Cheater, Apple Eater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Neal and Hook both think that Emma is sneaking around with the other person when really she's been seeing Regina in secret? Whether they find out or not is up to you.” ~LemongrassAndSleep

Emma Swan was a woman who didn’t believe in commitment. 

She warned everyone who ever tried to get in a relationship with her. She won’t be tied down. She doesn’t do exclusivity. All she wants is a good time, and some good company. Most people in Hogwarts understood that. Those that didn’t (usually the Gryffindors, the self-righteous idiots) just moved on, spreading rumors and calling Emma the Whore of Hogwarts. Emma doesn’t mind. She just moves on to her next date.

 

“Come on, love. It’s a Hogsmeade weekend. We had so much fun on our last outing,” Killian begs. Emma rolls her eyes. Killian Jones, seventh year Slytherin was probably the most boring date she had ever been on. He spent the entire meal discussing  _ his _ life, embellishing with every breath he took. The way he told it, he was a modern-day pirate, flying around on his broom, taking what he wanted, doing what he wanted ( _ who _ he wanted). Emma made up an excuse about having mono just so he wouldn’t kiss her goodnight, or try anything more.

“ _ You _ had fun,” Emma snorts under her breath. Killian just smiles, like he didn’t hear her. Knowing him, he probably does have selective hearing, can’t hear any woman saying “no.”

“So, that’s a yes?” He asks.

“No,” Emma sighs. “I’ve actually already got a date to Hogsmeade already.”

“Neal.” Killian hisses the name like it’s a dirty word. Neal Gold, seventh year Hufflepuff was a much better date than Emma. He actually seemed interested in her life. He was sweet, chivalrous. Until he took her for a second date, and thought it would be fun to run around his muggle town, stealing food, and jewelry, and anything the muggles left within reach. He swore it was a huge adrenaline rush, better than sex. But Emma felt guilty, and didn’t want to go out with him again.

“Nope.”

“Don’t lie to me. He may have you now, but when I win your heart- and I  _ will _ win it, Emma- you won’t even remember his name.” Emma just rolls her eyes, walking away. She heads back toward her dorm room, where even he couldn’t follow.

“Whatever,” she mutters, shaking her head.

 

“Hey, yo, Swan!” Neal shouts the next day, running down the empty corridor toward her. She was on her way back to class after running to the bathroom, so how the hell did he know where to find her. Did he have a lo-jack on her?

“Neal, I gotta get to Transfiguration if I want to pass my O.W.L.s,” Emma sighs, but she slows down, letting him catch up. He bumps her shoulder, grinning. She just rolls her eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll let you get there, relax, sweetheart. Just as soon as you agree to go on a date with me for the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.” One side of his mouth quirks up in a smile, like he’s fully expecting her to get down on her knees and thank him for doing her the honor of taking her out.

“Can’t do that, Neal. Already got a date,” Emma sighs again. God, it’s so hard to be wanted by so many people. Emma just smirks to herself.

“Jones? Please, that guy is a walking STD. He’s so full of himself-”

“Oh, and you’re not?” Emma scoffs.

“Hey now, Swan. Be nice. We had fun on our last two dates, right? Let’s make this magic number three. Then you and me, we can stop this whole ‘no-commitment’ rule you’ve got going, eh?” He smiles, reaching out to take her hand. She pulls away, angry, now.

“I told you straight up that I don’t do commitment. You said that’s fine. I have never lied to you, or led you on. But you just… You think you can  _ fix _ me?” Emma whispers.

“No, babe, it’s just… No commitment? You probably just never met the right guy before. But, uh, I can make you understand how great it is.”

“Don’t, Neal,” Emma grits out, backing away from him, but he follows her, reaching out to grab her by the waist. “I’m not some damaged little doll you can fix. Don’t talk to me. Don’t ask me out again, understand? I’m not going out with you because I have another date, someone who makes me feel good about myself. Someone who isn’t trying to fix me.”

“Emma, babe, come on,” Neal shouts after her. She just wrenches out of his grasp, running back to class.

 

“So, Neal thinks you won’t go out with him because you’re into Killian. And Killian thinks you won’t go out with  _ him _ because you’re dating Neal?” Regina scoffs. Emma smirks, interlacing her fingers with Regina’s as they walk towards Hogsmeade. “Are they aware that you’ve gone on four dates with me, now?”

“You know the rumor mills choose to ignore my dates with girls. It makes for a better story if the Whore of Hogwarts is always out with guys,” Emma chuckles, swinging their hands as they walk.

“If I have anything to do with it, those rumors will  _ stop _ ,” Regina growls. She had already threatened to destroy anyone who spread those rumors, but Emma had politely declined the offer.

“You know… Maybe, just maybe, I’ll take you up on that,” Emma giggles, pressing a kiss to Regina’s cheek, letting go of her hand to skip ahead.

“Are you…?” Regina trails off.

“Offering to be a one-woman gal? For you, I’d do anything, babe,” Emma smiles with a wink. Regina just smiles, running to catch up with her new girlfriend as they make their way to Hogsmeade.


	34. Veritaserum (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank EdgeOfInfinity for being so patient. I realized you submitted the following prompt ages ago, and I never posted it! 
> 
> “Emma uses Veritaserum on Regina so she'll admit to stealing something of hers. Regina confesses her love for her instead"

“Em, this is crazy,” Snow hisses. Emma frowns at her, putting a finger to her lips, not that Snow could see it. Just because Regina wasn’t  _ currently _ in the room didn’t mean she wasn’t close by. They may be invisible, but that doesn’t stop anyone from hearing them.

She turns back to the task at hand: locating Regina’s bed. It wasn’t difficult. It was made precisely, military-standard corners. The trunk at the end of her bed was closed, but Emma knows if she looks inside, she’ll find everything neat, and orderly. Grinning, Emma grabs the water bottle by the bed. She had nicked a vial of veritaserum from Slughorn to prove it had been Regina who stole her broomstick a week before the Quidditch final. As a Slytherin, and Emma’s nemesis since first year, it made total sense that Regina would sabotage the Gryffindor team. Emma slipped the Veritaserum into Regina’s water just as they heard footsteps outside the door.

“I just need to get my water!” Regina calls. Emma grins, pulling Snow back away from the bed as Regina rushes in, grabbing the bottle without a second thought as she runs out.

“Perfect. Now, let’s go get these disillusionment charms off,” Emma whispers, pulling Snow after her as they follow Regina out of the Slytherin common room.

“Emma,” Snow hisses, taking off her charm. Emma does the same but continues walking quickly, following after Regina. When she sees them heading to the library, Regina peels off by herself.  _ Perfect _ , she thinks. “Emma, leave it alone. She probably didn’t do it!”

“Snow, back off! I just want to ask. If she didn’t do it, I’ll back off, okay? God, you’re such a goody two shoes,” Emma hisses. Snow pouts, backing off with her hands in the air as if surrendering. Emma knows she’ll have to apologize to her overly sensitive roommate later tonight, but for now she just runs into the library.

Finding Regina sipping her water in a back table, leaning over her books, Emma sidles over.

“Can I talk to you, Mills?” Emma asks. Regina looks up, grinning.

“Looking forward to it, Swan,” she says immediately. When she realizes what she says, Regina frowns. Emma smirks, sitting down.

“Were you the one who stole my broom?”

“No,” Regina scoffs, and Emma wilts. “Why the hell would I do that?”

“To sabotage us in the Quidditch final!” Emma hisses angrily.

“I don’t care about Quidditch,” Regina laughs. “It’s just a stupid sport.”

“What? But you come to every match! Why else would you come?” Emma’s really confused now. Did she not give Regina the veritaserum?

“To watch you play without seeming creepy,” Regina shrugs. Suddenly, her face turns red and she leans closer to the table as if trying to make herself smaller and hide.

“Why do you do that?” Emma asks.

“Because you look really attractive when you’re flying and the wind is blowing your hair and your cheeks are all pink and you squint as you try to see the Snitch. Why can’t I stop talking?”

“You think I’m attractive?” Emma squeaks.

“God, you’re hot, you’re sexy, beautiful, cute, adorable. You’re smart, kinda funny, and really nice to people. You’re amazing. Oh my  _ GOD _ , make me stop talking.” Regina stands up, leaving all of her things as she runs out to the hallway. Emma chases after her, needing one more answer.

“Wait, Regina!” she calls, and to her surprise, Regina actually stops.

“You never call me by my first name,” she says softly, surprised.

“Let me have a sip of your water,” Emma says, pulling at her hair nervously. 

“Why?”

“Just let me have a sip, then ask again.” Regina rolls her eyes, and Emma takes a long swig of the water. “Ask me again.”

“Why can’t I stop being honest?”

“I put veritaserum in your water,” Emma says quickly. She doesn’t like the way the words fall off her tongue, the way she has no control over it.

“You  _ what _ ?” Regina hisses. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I thought you stole my broom! And then I felt bad because you were saying how pretty I was, and how you like me, and I got confused because you always annoy me.”

“I annoy you because I can’t tell you I like you,” Regina growls. “And now I can’t  _ stop  _ telling you because you slipped me veritaserum.”

“I just wanted to talk to you!” Emma blurts out. “Because when you smirk at me and make those faces I get this weird feeling in my stomach, and my heart hurts.”

“That’s love. Or like. Or something. I’ve felt that for you since first year.” Regina’s voice is quiet, and Emma steps closer to hear her.

“So why were you always such a jerk?” Emma asks, almost afraid of the answer.

“I’m terrible at expressing emotion. Like a kid who pulls on the pretty girl’s pigtails in kindergarten.” Regina giggles, and tugs on a loose strand of Emma’s hair.

“So you like me?” Emma asks. Regina nods, grinning goofily. “I’m going to kiss you now, kay?” Regina nods, leaning forward. Emma can’t help but smile through the kiss before pulling back. “Wait,” she says, frowning. “If it wasn’t you, who took my broom?”


	35. Rainy Days (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For @Umbrella_ella who wanted to see Swan Queen and cold, rainy quidditch matches

“I h-h-hate liv-ving in Sc-cotland,” Emma stutters. She’s cold to the point where she just feels  _ numb _ . Her clothes are soaked through, and every inch of her body is stiff. Her fingers aren’t cooperative enough to undo the clasps on her Quidditch uniform.

“Yeah,” Ruby, the Gryffindor chaser, agrees. She doesn't even bother changing, just grabs her bags, heaves her broom over her shoulder and walks out. “See you back in the dorms, Swan,” she shouts on her way out. Emma tries to nod, but she thinks her spine is frozen in place. She can’t move beyond shivers. Her entire body is quaking, and she can’t control herself. Her teeth are knocking against each other, and her fingers are tingling currently.

“You look cold,” a voice calls out. Emma just grunts, too cold to turn around, but she can feel her lips curving up into a smile as she recognizes the voice.

“N-no shit, Sh-sherlock,” Emma stutters. “Glad y-you c-came, b-babe.”

“I always come. Even when you have to play in this ridiculous weather.” Regina smiles, trailing a hand across Emma’s shoulders. “Really, though, Em. Thunder, lightning, rains that could cause the next Great Flood? It’s just a game, I don’t understand why you insist on playing in this weather.”

“B-because I l-love it,” Emma argues. They have this conversation often, whenever Emma comes back from a practice in the rain. They go around in circles as Emma insists it’s important, and Regina doesn’t understand why.

“We’ll talk about that later. When you’re warm. Come on, you can use the showers up in the prefect’s bathroom. You can’t just stand there and shiver,” Regina sighs. When Emma doesn’t move, she rolls her eyes. “You too cold to move again?”

“Mmhmm,” Emma squeaks. Regina just laughs.

“Then I guess we have to warm you up first. Come on, let’s go down to the showers, okay? Just a few steps, babe,” Regina urges her. “You gotta get those wet clothes off of you if you wanna get warm.”

“I-if you w-wanted me n-n-naked, M-mills, c-coulda just a-a-asked,” Emma teases. Regina just smiles, making quick work of the clasps on her long-term girlfriend’s uniform.

“I’ll remember that for next time. For now, let’s just get you in the shower, hmm?” Regina hums, winking. And despite how cold her entire body is, Emma’s face flushes, burning red.


	36. Veela (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Could you do one where Emma is part veela and turns out her mate is Regina. However Regina and Emma have never gotten along, and so Emma tries to stay away thinking she knows how Regina will act, but in doing so only hurts herself in the process while Regina seems to flourish, but also feels like something is missing.” ~ DisturbingVision

“What’s that potion?” Henry asks, bouncing on the balls of his toes. Emma startles as the first year boy comes up behind her silently. A seventh year, Emma had been spending her afternoon brewing up a new potion, something her mother taught her about. As a half veela, Emma had some special tricks up her sleeve; namely, the ability to find her perfect mate.

Every person is born with a perfect match, the other half to their soul. Muggles call it a soul mate. Most people stumble around blindly, searching for the one person who feels “right.” Veela have a gift, an ability to find their mate more easily. Eons ago, the Veela figured out a potion that acted as a tracking spell. All a part-Veela woman has to do is drink some and she’ll be directed towards her mate.

“Special potion,” Emma grunts. Henry’s an eager kid, and has latched onto the seventh year Gryffindor. Emma tries very hard not to use her Veela charms on people- especially not kids like Henry- but sometimes it just happens. 

“What’s it do? Are you a NEWT potions student? Will I learn how to do this? What’s it do? Why is it green?” He fires off these questions one after another, leaving no time for responses.

“Hey, Henry, take a breath,” Emma smiles. As annoying as it is to have a kid following her around like a puppy dog, she can’t hate him. He’s sweet, if a little overeager and naive. “It’s a special remedy from my mother. Doesn’t exist in any potions book,” Emma winks. Henry nods eagerly.

“What does it do?” he asks. Emma shrugs.

“Helps me find something I’ve lost. Now, get along, kid. You’ve got class soon, don’t you?” Henry toes the ground, pouting as he nods. “Get going. Maybe I’ll see you in the common room later,” she grins, giving him a gentle shove toward the door. She waits until he’s gone before taking a swig of the potion.

_ Just close your eyes, and let your feet lead you _ . Her mother’s voice rings in her head as she gulps down the last bit of the potion. Her eyes flutter shut, and she feels an overwhelming pull in her gut. As she follows her feet, she wonders if she should have waited for a weekend. What if her soul mate is somewhere in Zimbabwe, and she walks all the way there?

The tugging in her stomach intensifies, and she wonders if this means she’s close. Is her soul mate someone in the school? She figures that would be pretty cool. Maybe it’s that kid Graham, the Hufflepuff. He’s pretty cute.

After a few more minutes, she stops. The feeling in her stomach so strong that she’s starting to feel nauseous. Or maybe that’s just her excitement? Shecan feel someone staring at her, so she opens her eyes, unable to keep the grin off her face.

“Can I help you?” Regina drawls. Immediately, Emma’s face falls.  _ Mills? Seriously? _ She’s cursing the universe right now.

“Yeah, I just… Need that book,” Emma says quickly. Thankfully, they were in the library (typical Mills- spending her free time in the library). Regina raises her eyebrows, but moves to the side so Emma can grab a random book and rush out of there. Emma doesn’t stop moving until she gets back to her dorm and buries her head in her pillow.  _ Of course it had to be Mills _ , she snorts.

 

Emma had never gotten along with Regina Mills. They met in first year when McGonagall made them partner up for a Transfiguration essay. Regina was anal retentive about the entire thing, completely taking control. Emma wanted to help and do her share, but was having a hard time understanding the concepts. Instead of helping her, Regina basically called her stupid and wouldn’t give her a chance to help. They’d spent the next seven years arguing, always fighting.  

So Emma was rejecting what the potion said. Regina Mills was certainly not her soul mate. And even if she was, so what? Emma doesn’t need her. Not at all.

 

Two weeks later, and Emma Swan was losing her mind.

She couldn’t stop thinking about Regina Mills. She closes her eyes and sees her beautiful hair, her eyes flashing when she gets angry. The way the corners of her mouth pull down when she’s working on something, and she chews on her lower lip. How she smirked triumphantly when she gets the questions right in class and earns points.

Regina’s image haunts Emma at all hours of the day and night. When she tried to sleep, Regina’s face was just behind her closed lids. Emma had even started to think about her physically, though she tried not to. When the images of Regina naked and writhing beneath her came to Emma under the cover of midnight, Emma just closed her eyes, ran into the bathroom and shoved her head under the shower.

She wrote to her mother after two weeks of sleepless nights, and obsession with Regina. Her mother responded almost immediately.

 

_ Emma my love, _

_ You cannot ignore your soulmate. The potion does not just lead you to your soulmate, but also binds you to her. I understand you think it must be a mistake, that Regina couldn’t possibly be hers, but the ancient Veela magic is never wrong. You have been bonded to her, and you are suffering. If you want the suffering to stop, you must complete the bond physically with your soulmate- just a kiss, dear, I’m not looking for any grandchildren yet. _

_ Let me know how it all works out. _

_ Much love,  _

_ Mother _

  
Emma couldn’t kiss Regina. If a kiss would solidify the bond, then Regina would start to feel this miserable when they were separate. Emma would never condemn anyone to these feelings. Resolving herself to suffer alone, Emma lights her mother’s note on fire with a flick of her wand, turning to watch Regina as she raises the Snitch in victory, face alight with joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry friends.... I've tried experimenting with the unhappy ending....


	37. Tattletale (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Emma has been cheating on all of her tests etc because her parents are both very powerful, and very well known in the wizarding world. When Regina finds out, instead of telling the headteacher she offers to help Emma get better.” ~LemongrassAndSleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took me so long to post! I've had it written and ready for a while!

“I saw that,” Regina whispers. Emma frowns over at her but doesn’t say anything. This was their Transfiguration midterm, and Emma just needed to pass. She stuck her tongue out at Regina Mills, the Ravenclaw across the aisle from her, and turned back to her test, and the answers she’d scrawled on a slip of parchment stashed up her sleeve. Regina turns away, still frowning.

 

“I saw you,” she says again after the exam. Emma rolls her eyes, moving away, but Regina grabs Emma’s wrist, keeping her close. “You were cheating.”

“Don’t be such a goody two shoes,” Emma scoffs, pulling Regina into a hidden passage behind a tapestry. “It’s fine.”

“It’s dishonest! It isn’t fair to the people who studied!” Regina argues.

“Oh, the world isn’t fair. What are you? Six? Things aren’t fair,” Emma scoffs.

“I’ll tell the headmaster,” Regina threatens quietly, pouting. Why was Emma being so mean? Aren’t Gryffindors supposed to be good people?

“You’ll tattle?” Emma asks, a hint of fear in her voice. She shakes her head, steeling herself. “Just because we’re in first year doesn’t mean we need to act like we’re five years old.” Regina’s chin wobbles, but Emma continues mocking her. “Besides, my parents are Snow and David Charming. My mom’s the senior undersecretary to the minister of magic, and my dad’s the head auror. No one will punish me,” she says smugly.

“That’s not the point,” Regina says, stomping her foot. She stops, taking a deep breath before continuing. “I don’t want to tell the head. I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

“Then we’re good here,” Emma says, starting to leave. Regina grabs her wrist.

“No, if you keep cheating, I will tell. You can’t cheat your way through life.” Emma’s pouting now, digging her toe into the ground.

“I just don’t get transfiguration,” she mumbles.

“I can help!” Regina’s beaming. “I’ll tutor you if you promise to stop cheating.”

“You’d help me?”

“Yeah, totally. No one should fail, nor should they fall behind because you don’t understand. If you cheat, you’ll only cheat yourself because the work will only get harder and will build off of this year’s stuff.”

“Thanks,” Emma says softly. “I promise I won’t cheat if you can help me. And, uh…” Emma cups the back of her neck, cheeks hot. “Sorry I was being mean, and, like, stuff.” Regina rolls her eyes, smiling.

“It’s fine. Just meet me in the library in an hour so I can figure out where you’re at with your skills.” Emma whines.

“But Christmas is coming!”

“Are you leaving for Christmas?” Regina asks, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” Emma mutters darkly. “But that doesn’t mean I want to work a lot over vacation.”

“Oh stop whining,” Regina laughs. As she leads Emma out of the tapestry, she links their arms. “An hour. If that. I just need to know what you know. We don’t even have to meet for the rest of vacation if you don’t want.”

“Well, we could see each other, just, like… Not for tutoring. Like, as friends. You know?” Regina beams.

“I suppose we could.”

“I’m glad you’re not gonna tell on me,” Emma sighs as they walk through the hall.

“Me too,” Regina giggles.


	38. Head to Head (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the following prompt from Dianne Perry:
> 
> “ Oooh can you do one where Emma and Regina are the top seekers at Hogwarts Emma being a Gryffindor and Regina being a Ravenclaw or Slytherin your choice but they are secretly or publicly dating your choice as well but are going head to head for the quidditch cup.”

To say that tensions were running high in the castle was a bit of an understatement.

It was the day of the Quidditch final. Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor. Ravenclaw captain and seeker Regina Mills had been dating Gryffindor captain and seeker Emma Swan for two years now. They’d played each other a few times over the years, but never in the final. And they were both seventh years, so it was all the more important for them. 

The teams and house members had gotten into playful arguments in the hallways, yelling insults at each other. A few second years got into trouble for hexing each other, but the most fun was between the two girlfriends. For the most part, they didn’t talk about it, not wanting to add fuel to their competitive fire. Occasionally, they’ll tease each other, making bets about the outcome on the match.

“So, babe, when I win the match, what are you gonna do for me?” Emma asks, lying on the ground by the shore of the Black Lake. Her head was in her girlfriend’s lap, but Regina promptly shoved her off, grinning when Emma sits up.

“I think that’s a question I should be asking you, dear,” she purrs seductively, and Emma shivers.

“Aren’t we confident? You know Ravenclaw hasn’t won the cup since we were first years,” Emma teases, leaning in. Regina quirks up the corner of her mouth.

“That’s because I haven’t been captain and seeker before. Now that I am, we’re unstoppable. You should know; you’ve been to every  _ single _ match, watching me.”

“You guys are good,” Emma concedes. “But my team is  _ amazing _ .”

It never gets serious, but everyone else in the school loves to watch the interactions. Some have even taken to making bets not on the outcome of the match, but rather on the interactions between the castle. Some were hoping the tension would drive them apart (particularly Robin Locksley and Killian Jones, but that was for their own purposes). Most were banking on witnessing PDA, since the couple was intensely private (Mary Margaret Blanchard had been among this group). Still others just wanted to bet on how high the sexual tension could get in the castle before it exploded.

Eventually, game day came.

“Good luck, babe,” Emma giggles, kissing her girlfriend as they parted for their separate changing rooms. “You need it,” she adds teasingly. Regina just rolls her eyes, shoving Emma toward the Gryffindor changing room.

 

An hour into the match and Gryffindor is up by twenty points. Emma and Regina have been circling above the stadium, never really near each other. Emma occasionally smiles, hearing Ruby Lucas make some offhand comment about them slipped in amongst commentary on the match. 

“Getting tired, love?” Regina calls. Emma had been so still, completely zoning out, and could have potentially lost them the match.

“Never,” Emma grins, leaning forward to speed towards her. Regina is taken by surprise when Emma pulls to a stop right next to her. She brings her in close, kissing her before flying away.

“Swan! This is a quidditch match, not a booty call. I want to win, damnit!” Ruby scolds over the announcer’s megaphone. Emma throws her head back laughing, continuing her search for the Snitch.

 

Two hours later and they’ve already had three scares with the Snitch. The first time, it had been hanging around near the third Ravenclaw hoop. It had been within inches of Regina’s fingertips when the Gryffindor chasers came crashing in with the quaffle. The next time, it had been near the announcer’s booth. Ruby was cheering when it seemed like Emma had it in her hands, but the Ravenclaw beaters hit the bludger over there, knocking her broom away and it disappeared. The final time, it had been down on the ground, and Emma felt the grass tickling her toes as she raced Regina to the snitch. They ran into the sidewall before anyone got it, and laughed at themselves for a few minutes before getting back on their brooms and into the air.

“Swan, get the snitch and finish it off!” Someone shouts from the crowd. Emma just shrugs. She is tired though, and she’s sweating through her uniform. She can feel a sunburn all over her face, and arms, and neck. Her muscles actually hurt from the long day of flying. She’s starving, and she just wants to go kiss her girlfriend because either way, one of them wins, and the other gets comforted with kisses and maybe sex. She’s done. She wants this over with.

All of a sudden, she sees it. There’s a glint of gold a few hundred feet above the pitch. Emma tightens her grip on her broom, flying through the air. She can feel, rather than see, Regina flying up behind her. She just moves faster, desperate to catch it, not to let it slip through her fingers this time. When she closes her fingers around the snitch, she holds her fist up in the air triumphantly.

“And that’s it! Final score: Gryffindor with the win and 470 points. Ravenclaw, just behind with 380 points! That’s all, folks! Now, who owes me money?” Ruby’s laughter rings throughout the stadium.

 

“So, we never decided what the loser would do for the winner,” Regina smiles that night. Once Gryffindor had started their party, Emma slipped out to the Room of Requirement to meet Regina.

“Oh, just be my slave for a week and we’ll call it fair,” Emma teases. Regina rolls her eyes.

“Oh is that all?”

“Maybe I can kiss you, too? I like that,” Emma suggests, her nose pressed into Regina’s neck. Regina nods. And when Emma starts kissing Regina’s clavicle, Regina forgets that she had actually lost the cup, and the house cup. Because right now, she feels a hell of a lot like a winner.


	39. Best Gal Pals (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the following prompt from aclem1234:
> 
> “could you do one where Ruby has been dating Dorothy since third year (they're in sixth or seventh year now) but they have to break up for some reason all the while Ruby's best friend (Belle) has been in love with her and she just finds out so they get together. You can change what you wish, thanks.”

Dorothy left me.

Three years, two months, and six days of a relationship, and she left me. Her parents died before fifth year, and she was staying with her aunt and uncle. But as soon as they found out their beloved Dorothy was dating a girl, they freaked. Apparently, Aunty Em told her she had to break up with the “whore abomination” and come back to marry some boy on the farm next door. Dorothy fought them on that, but eventually, they threatened to cut her off completely- no food, no money, no place to live. And despite what they were saying about her, Dorothy loved her family more than me.

So she left me, and I couldn’t help but feel betrayed.

“Ruby, come on,” Belle goads me. I’ve been drinking firewhiskey alone by the black lake for over an hour. She came down to the lake to follow me, make sure I didn’t choke on my own vomit. But I didn’t care, didn’t want her to bring me back up to Gryffindor Tower.

“No,” I whine. She just sighs impatiently, ripping the nearly empty bottle from my grasp and tossing it into the lake. “She left me,” I say sadly. I know I’m slurring my words, and I know I sound ridiculously pathetic, but I can’t help it.

“Let’s go back up to the dorm, now. Let’s go, come on. You can take a nice shower, and get in pajamas. You’re gonna need a hangover potion in the morning. If I start it now, I can have it ready before you wake up in the morning,” she explains, tugging at me.

“So go make it,” I moan.

“It’s no use to you if you’re passed out here in a pile of your own vomit. Now, let’s  _ go _ ,” she says. I just whimper as she uses her wand to lift me up by my ankles. She shakes her head, readjusting me as I tumble around so that I am lying on my back at her waist level.

“She doesn’t love me,” I grumble.

“She loves you,” Belle insists.

“Not enough to stay. Nobody loves me enough to stay.”

“I love you,” Belle says simply. It takes my drunken head a minute to process what she’s told me. She stumbles along in silence while I think.

“Yeah, but you’re just my best friend. Best friends love each other,,” I reply, brow furrowed. “Right?”

“Whatever you say, Ruby. But I do love you, and I’m here to stay.” She hums, taking them back into the castle.

 

The next morning, Ruby wakes with a wicked headache, but I have a goblet of hangover potion by her bed, ready for her.

“Belle, it hurts,” she whimpers like a small child. I want to ask whether she’s referring to her heart or her head. But I figure it’s probably both.

“This’ll make it better, love,” I whisper. I help her sit up so she can sip at the potion. After a few minutes, she smiles sleepily up at me. “Better?” I ask, brushing a stray hair out of her face.

“Much better,” she agrees. I start to get up, but her hand shoots out to wrap around my wrist. She looks up at me with her big, hazel eyes that are filled with tears. “Stay with me?” she whispers. I remember what she’d said last night. Dorothy had left her, and she thought no one loved her enough to stay. Well, it’s Saturday and I don’t really have much to do except study, but that can wait.

“Of course I will, Ruby,” I whisper. She smiles when I curl around her on the bed. We stay huddled around each other all morning before I finally get her up for lunch.

 

It’s been two weeks and three days since Dorothy left me. Who transfers out of Hogwarts in her sixth year to go to the Salem Witches’ Institute? Did she really want to get away from me that badly? Apparently. 

Belle is the only one who doesn’t annoy me with her constant presence. My other friends seem to waver between being constantly chipper, or avoiding the subject. They seem to have agreed to never leave me alone, which is the worst thing. When I’m alone, I want my friends. When they’re around, I scream at them to leave. Belle is the only one who doesn’t get yelled at. She seems to know the balance between being here for me and giving me space. It’s wonderful. 

The nights are the loneliest. Dorothy had been a Hufflepuff, but sometimes she’d sneak into my dorm, or I’d sneak into hers. I loved holding her as she fell asleep, and she always said she felt safer. I never had bad dreams when I was asleep in her bed. But now she’s gone, halfway around the world, and I can’t sleep.

“Ruby, you’re exhausted,” Belle tells me. I nod. I am exhausted. I have not slept properly in two weeks and four days, now. I’ve taken cat naps, gotten random, interrupted hours of fitful rest broken up by nightmares. The bags under my eyes are so deep I don’t know what to do with them. There’s no fixing them. “Ruby, you have to sleep.”

“I  _ know _ ,” I whisper raggedly. I try to keep my temper, but it’s so hard when I’m so tired.

“Come here, come sleep,” she says, holding open her covers. “You’ll feel better, and I’ll feel better knowing you’re sleeping.” I nod, crawling into her bed, surprised when she wraps her arms around me. 

“ _ I _ usually held  _ her _ ,” I manage to croak out.

“Well, I think I like to hold you,” Belle sighs. “I like thinking that I can keep you safe. Keeping you close to me,” she hums. I just sigh, snuggling closer to her. I used to like holding her. Now, though, I like  _ being  _ held.

 

Slowly, very slowly, I get Ruby back.

I get back the girl I fell in love with our second year. She plays Quidditch with some of her housemates, not on the official house team. She leads parties after any game, win or lose- though she does get a little too drunk at these events. She goes for her daily runs again. She does about as much as her homework as she used to do. She makes jokes, wears short skirts, and causes trouble.

But at nights, she crawls into my bed. I hold her tight, and I can feel her shaking. We don’t talk about it, but I know she still misses Dorothy. Can’t really date a girl for over three years and just have it  _ end _ and be okay with it. So I hold her until she stops shaking and falls asleep. 

It’s tantalizing. So close to her, but she can’t see me like that. Not when she still aches for Dorothy, when she still cries out her name in her sleep. I’m content to wait, not like I have any choice. Over the years I’ve honestly  _ tried _ to give my heart to others, but it’s all done in vain. I can’t forget her. Can’t love anyone else.

I’ll settle for this, I think to myself. Holding her at night, even if not in the way I want to.

 

Summer comes and goes.

It’s been five months, and some days without her. I think I’m doing better. I’ve stopped counting the exact days. Five months, approximately. Granny calls that growth, improvement. Over the summer, I’ve started to truly get over her. I wrote her a letter, and she wrote one back. We met up just once to have a final discussion.

“I never wanted to hurt you,” she’d said. I nodded.

“Everyone needs their family,” I sigh. “I understand why you left, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.” She started to cry, then.

“I never wanted this to happen,” she whispers. “I’ll always love you.” I started to cry at that point, but I left that part out when I was telling Belle about it. 

September first came and I sat in the train compartment laughing with Belle. I’d spent a large part of my summer with her. I visited her and her dad, and she visited me and Granny. When we weren’t physically together, we were sending owls to each other. When I was with Dorothy, I didn’t talk to belle as much. I don’t think Dorothy liked her too much. But I’ve missed having Belle as my friend. I’ve missed the connection.

That first night at school, Belle and I were sitting up drinking stolen butterbeers (courtesy of the kitchen House Elves) in front of the common room fireplace. Most everyone else had gone to bed, but I convinced her to stay up with me. Here eyelids had been starting to droop and she was leaning her head onto my shoulder. I kissed her temple and told her to sleep, but I caught myself wanting to kiss her in other ways.

I wanted to kiss her neck, leaving a trail down the column of her neck and her collarbone.

I wanted to kiss her hands, her soft, lovely hands.

I wanted to kiss her cheek, soft and pink and warm.

I wanted to kiss her stomach, just above her navel.

I wanted to kiss her lips.

I wanted to kiss my best friend.

I just smiled and went to sleep, unsure of what to do with this new revelation.

 

On Halloween, Ruby kissed me for the first time.  _ Really  _ kissed me. On the mouth. We were at a party in the Room of Requirement, playing Truth or Dare. She was dared to kiss the hottest person in the room. She just stood up, leering like a wolf as she crossed the circle and came across the circle, straddling my lap to kiss me. After the game, I pulled her to a quiet corner to ask her about it, if she meant it, if it felt the same for her as it did for me.

“Like, really, really amazing?” Ruby asks, her lips curling up in a smirk. I nod, cheeks flushing. “I like you, Belle,” Ruby whispers, caressing my face. I shy away.

“What about Dorothy?” I hate the way my voice sounds: whiny, childish, and petulant. But I have to ask. I can’t just be some emotional rebound.

“Some part of me might always love her. But I could never trust her again. I’d always worry I wasn’t enough for her, worry she’d leave me again. I can’t live like that. I’ve moved past her. I realized a few months ago that what I really wanted now was  _ you _ .” I smile as she kisses me again, and we have to break apart because I can’t make the smile stop.

“Will you go on a date with me?” I breathe into the column of her neck. I can feel her nodding. Grinning, I go in to kiss her again. This is so much better than being best friends.


	40. Slytherin Green (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on this prompt:
> 
> “Regina loves green. And so since Emma is in slytherin I was thinking you could do something that plays off Emma's eyes while she wears her slytherin uniform and Regina who is in Gryffindor and they're at a game. Feel free to change whatever.” ~DisturbingVision

Regina hates Quidditch, but she goes to every match.

Her friends ask her why she bothers coming if she hates the sport so much. She always answers that she doesn’t  _ hate _ Quidditch so much as she doesn’t understand it. It’s a ridiculous game and everyone seems to have an unhealthy obsession with it. And yet, despite all this, Regina shows up at every match just to watch.

She particularly loves watching the Slytherin matches. Regina tells her friends that they have a certain ruthlessness, a skill and strategy that none of the other teams possess. It’s like watching a well-oiled machine. The communicate without words as they pass the quaffle, hit the bludgers, block the goalposts, almost always winning.

No one really notices that despite talking of the chasers and beaters and keeper, Regina spends most of the game watching the seeker, Emma Swan.

She watches the way Emma’s emerald uniform billows out behind her. She watches as Emma’s eyes narrow in search for the Snitch. She watches the way the sun reflects off of Emma’s hair, making it shine like spun gold.

At the end of every game, Regina sidles down the pitch, passing by the team to offer her congratulations. She watches the way Emma turns to face her, beaming. The green of her uniform makes her eyes appear deeper, brighter, more effervescent. 

“Good game, guys,” Regina smiles, even if they’ve just crushed Gryffindor and her entire house is glaring at her.

“Thanks,” Emma replies, her green eyes shining, uniform pulled tight around her. That’s all they say, but Regina always comes back to watch the next match every time.


	41. Boggart (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Prompt: Emma faces her boggart, and Regina sees. Emma is ashamed. What is it?” ~Umbrella_ella

Jeering. Pointing. Laughing. Backs turned as they walk away, hissing insults like “pathetic,” and declaring they’d “wasted their time with her,” and “never liked her anyway.”

“No,” Emma whimpers. She’s on the ground, hurt, bleeding. Paralyzed with fear, and everyone is leaving her to fight this boggart on her own? She doesn’t even know what it’s turning into; it’s hiding from her, and everyone is leaving her. “Don’t go,” she begs. Pointing at the air in front of her, she mutters a weak, “riddikulus!”

“Stop, please!” she shouts, tears streaming down her face. Why is the entire class leaving? Shouldn’t they be helping her? Suddenly, the scene shifts. She’s still pretty much alone in her dorm, but the class isn’t there. No one is leaving her. She’s lying on the ground of her dorm, trying to practice on the boggart she’d found in the wardrobe. But the boggart is now a woman, tall and regal. She’s glaring at Emma’s savior, Regina Mills.

“No, mother. I won’t,” she says calmly, flicking her wrist as she says, “riddikulus.” Immediately, the woman, Regina’s mother turns into an apple tree. Regina calmly takes an apple from its branches and takes a bite, turning the boggart to dust. She turns to Emma on the ground, reaching to comfort her. Emma scrambles back nervously, unable to look Regina in the eye.

They were roommates, yes. They’d been housemates in Gryffindor ever since first year, of course. They had classes together, sat in the same general area during meals. But they didn’t ever really speak, more than cordial conversation. They were polite, but by no means friends. And now Regina had just seen Emma screaming, crying, hyperventilating on the floor trying to fight at the air.

“Emma, it’s okay,” Regina whispers, but she stops her approach. Emma shakes her head, bringing her knees to her chest. “It’s okay to be afraid of boggarts. It’s why they exist.”

“I wish you hadn’t seen that,” Emma chokes out. Regina softens, sitting on the bed next to Emma’s place on the floor.

“Well, you saw my fear. I’m terrified of my own mother. I’m afraid of the things she says, the things she thinks of me, and the things she makes me do. That’s terrible. Mortifying for me. You’re afraid of being abandoned. These are just… facts, Emma. It’s part of us. We all have fears, and it’s  _ okay _ ,” Regina whispers, putting a hand on Emma’s knee.

“Being alone,” Emma says quietly.

“What?” Regina cants her head to the side.

“I’m not afraid of being abandoned. I was abandoned as a baby by my parents when I was just minutes old. But I’ve found a place, sort of. I’ve got my friends, and my foster parents are kinda cool. I’m just afraid that I’ll wake up, and none of this will have been real. It’ll all have been some joke, and I’m all alone again.” Emma’s voice was quiet, but strong.

“You’re not alone.” It’s all Regina says, smiling. She drops to the floor to sit shoulder to shoulder with Emma. Emma leans into her. “You’re not alone.” Ema inhales deeply.

“I’m not alone,” she says softly, reaching out to grab Regina’s hand, as if trying to remind herself of its truth.


	42. Lost Girl (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Could you do one where Emma is somehow the daughter of draco malfoy and hermione granger but she had to be given up for her protection and so when Emma finally finds out who her parents are she takes Regina with her. Draco and hermione have also been looking for her but she was adopted out in America by the swans and that's why they couldn't find her.” ~DisturbingVision

It was a year after the war.

The world was still healing. Families were still grieving. And in a small cottage in southern Scotland, a baby was born. She was beautiful. Tiny, blonde and screaming. Her parents were still children themselves, made older by the war.

“We can’t keep her,” Hermione sobbed, snuggling the baby close to her breast. “There are still too many out for your parents’ blood. She’ll always be in danger from those who want to hurt you. Or those who want to hurt me.” Draco nods, just holding the mother of his child. They had had only one night together, ten months ago. Hermione was drunk, trying to forget all of the funerals she had been to in the past few months. She had been stumbling down Diagon Alley when she made a wrong turn and ended up in a seedy dive bar in Knockturn Alley. Some Death Eater supporters had been hassling the drunk girl, and Draco showed up, whisking her away to his parents’ vacation cottage to put her to bed and let her sober up. They’d spent a few days together, mourning, talking, and yes, having sex. They agreed it wasn’t right to start a relationship, and Hermione couldn’t bear the thought of hurting Ron. It was a one time thing, they’d agreed.

And then Hermione found out she was pregnant. She took a year’s worth of Hogwarts classes by mail, telling everyone it was too much for her to go back to those walls. Draco hired a private midwife to take care of Hermione. She spent her ten months holed up in Draco’s cottage. He came and visited her, and they made the mutual decision that this baby needed to be put in a more stable environment, a safer environment. Now that she was just hours old, neither wanted to give her up.

“She’ll have a good life,” he reminds her. “She’ll be safe, and happy and loved.”

“But not by us,” Hermione wails.

“We’ll still love her. We might not see her, but we’ll always love her.” Hermione’s gasping, sobbing now, unable to breathe. “We’ll write her a letter. Telling her that we love her. And her adoptive parents can give it to her when she turns 17 if they’d like.” Hermione nods.

“G-get a quill,” she sighs. When they’re finished dictating the letter, Draco seals it up in an envelope, addressing it to their daughter, Emma. They named her Emma, swaddled her in a white knit blanket that Hermione made with her spare time, and sent her off with the midwife who had already arranged a good home for her under the promise of discretion. Hermione stayed there for the week until she could control her sobbing, and she didn’t see Draco again for years.

A few years later, Hermione was marrying Ron and when she had their daughter, Hermione named her Rose and she wouldn‘t put her down for a week.

 

“Congratulations, Emma,” her foster mother smiled. Seventeen years old, and Emma had just graduated from the Salem Witches’ Institute. This was her seventh, and last foster home in the past seven years. Emma had been adopted by the Swans in Boston when she was a baby, but put into the foster system at age 5 when they discovered she was a witch. Ever since then, she’s bounced around the system, never staying one place more than a year.

“Emma, we did it! We’re officially graduates!” Regina squeals, running over to hug her best friend. They’ve been roommates in school since their first year, and were steadily falling for each other for quite some time. Emma runs a hand through Regina’s soft brown hair, grinning wildly. “Next, we start the rest of our life!”

“Emma, before you start embarking on any random journeys, there’s something I’ve been instructed to give to you,” her foster mother says gently. Emma pulls away, tilting her head to the side.

“Instructed?”

“By your birth parents,” the woman adds. “When you were born, they gave the Swans a letter and told them to give it to you on your seventeenth birthday. Your social worker gave it to me a month ago.” She produces the worn, yellowing envelope bearing her name in looping, elegant script.

“You’ve had this a month and I’m only now getting it?” Emma hisses, snatching the letter. “The agency has had this my whole life? What about when I was ten and  _ begging _ to know more about my parents. Why didn’t they give it to me then?”

“I don’t know why they didn’t give it to you then. I wanted to wait until your seventh year was over so you wouldn’t be distracted. I’m sorry,” she says. Emma huffs, but knows that this isn’t Linda’s fault.

“It’s whatever. Look, I’m gonna go read this and then… I’ll probably be back later tonight, maybe tomorrow,” Emma mutters. Linda nods, hugging her briefly before Emma walks away, Regina following with an apologetic smile.

 

“I have to find them,” Emma whispers, wiping the tears away. They’d gone out to a diner, grabbing some take out before heading to the park to sit and read the letter. Regina had stayed silent, letting Emma read it herself, just holding her hand while Emma mouthed the words.

“Emma,” Regina breathes.

“I  _ have _ to find them. They say I was born in Scotland, and I was born just after the Second Wizarding War ended. I have their initials, I have my place and time of birth. I have to find them. They wrote that they love me, and they’ll love me forever. They said they couldn’t keep me safe, they were on opposite sides of the war, and they were sorry they couldn’t keep me. Maybe they’ve been looking for me, too.” She’s breathless, gasping for air.

“Okay,” Regina agrees. “Let’s go to Scotland.”

“Huh?” Emma asks. “No, you don’t have to come.” Regina snorts.

“Please. You think I’m letting you traipse around Europe without me? Besides, I’m a thousand times better at apparation than you are,” Regina teases. Emma lets out a watery chuckle. “Besides, I love you. I’m not letting you leave me.” She leans forward and kisses her best friend.

“Let’s go pack your stuff, and we’ll find my parents,” Emma smiles.

 

“Do you remember a baby born here? Almost eighteen years ago. October 22?” Emma asks the nurse. She was an older woman in the local hospital. It’s the eighth one they’ve been to, always searching for the oldest employee in hopes that they’ll remember something.

“Lot of babies born around that time, dear. Post-war baby boom,” the woman sighs. Emma lets out a whimper. The woman glances up, eyes narrowed. “Why are you asking, dearie?” Her accent is thick, and Emma thinks she already knows the answer.

“The baby was me,” Emma whispers.

“Well, love, could have been a home birth. Do you know whereabouts you were born?”

“The letter said near Glasgow,” Regina provides, pulling out the letter. The nurse takes it, tracing the signature.

“You know, I had a friend. Her name was Wilma, we went to school together. I went into public hospitals, but Wilma went on as a private midwife. About 18 years back, she was contracted by a wealthy man, just barely 18 himself. He had gotten a girl pregnant, but they couldn’t keep it. She never mentioned the girl’s name, but she did accidentally let slip that the father was a Malfoy. Your letter says ‘D.M.’ Perhaps Draco Malfoy?” Regina pales, looking to Emma. They had learned of the Malfoys, and their allegiances with Voldemort.

“Can you contact Wilma?” Emma asks, her voice low.

“Of course, dear. We fell out of touch ages ago, but I can send her an owl. She might like to talk to you, maybe so you can get a test done to prove your parentage.” Emma nods, watching as the woman scrawls a letter on a nearby sheet of paper.

“Can we wait out in the lobby?” Regina asks. The nurse nods.

 

“No wonder my parents gave me up,” Emma snorts. “Draco Malfoy’s kid? I’d be public enemy number one.” She’s been pacing, hissing angrily to Regina for the past hour about what they’ve learned. 

“Emma, you’re not sure that he’s your dad,” Regina whispers. “It could be a mistake, or a misunderstanding.

“I’m a freaking Malfoy,” she groans, throwing herself back on the couch next to Regina. They were sitting in a quiet corner, far away from everyone else. “I’m probably evil, or something. That’s why the Swans gave me up,” she whispers, putting her head on Regina’s shoulder.

“That’s not true, Em,” Regina whispers, kissing Emma’s temple. They hadn’t discussed their kiss before they left the states, but they had gotten considerably more physically affectionate. It was an unspoken agreement that discussions would wait until after they finished this mission.

“Girls,” the nurse says, holding out a scroll.

“Thank you,” Regina says, standing when it seems that Emma isn’t planning on moving.

“I can’t read it,” Emma whispers after the nurse leaves. They’re walking outside under an umbrella, and she is leaning heavily on Regina.

“Do you want me to?” Regina offers. Emma just nods weakly and Regina unrolls the letter, reading it softly as they walk.

“ _ Dear Miss Swan, _

_ I would love to meet you and discuss your parentage. Perhaps we can do some DNA testing, and figure things out. If you’re amenable, I can meet you at The Rose Tavern on the Isle of Arran. It’s where I first met those you believe are your parents, many years ago. I’ll be there tonight until midnight. If you’d like to discuss your parents, come find me. _

_ Wilma McKendrick _ .” Regina pauses, sitting in silence to let Emma absorb everything. The blonde just sits, staring at the pavement in front of them as the rain falls. After a few moments, she links her arm tightly with Regina’s.

“I guess we’re going to the Isle of Arran,” she whispers. Regina just nods, walking to an abandoned back alley before disappearing into the darkness with a resounding  _ CRACK _ .

 

“‘Ello, love,” a woman smiles, standing. She’s a portly, older woman with graying hair and kind brown eyes. She’s already swilling a firewhiskey in one hand when Emma and Regina walk over to her. “You Emma Swan?” She asks.

“I am,” Emma nods. “You Wilma McKendrick?” The woman beams.

“That I am. We wanna get going to somewhere where the walls don’t have ears so we can figure things out?”

“Whoa, what?” Emma asks, startled by the quick turn of events. “Where the hell are we going?”

“Oh, well, what we have to discuss is rather  _ sensitive _ information. And, much as I love ol’ Parker at the bar,” she grins and jams a thumb out toward the scrawny man behind the bar, “he’s got big ears. And an even bigger mouth.”

“Oy!” he protests.

“See?” Wilma stage whispers, winking. “So, we’ll go to a beach down the way while we talk. But I can do the test here.”

“Y-you have DNA to test?” Regina stutters.

“I signed a contract with them. They wanted you to be able to find them, but they wanted to be able to ensure that no one tried to lie to them. I’ve never even had the opportunity to test it before,” she explains. Emma nods, pulling out a lock of her hair and handing it to Wilma. She puts it in a glass vial, swilling it around with two other pieces of hair: one thin, and blonde like Emma’s, the other curled and brown. When she swills the vials, the entire thing glows red and white.

“What does this mean?” Emma whispers, awe struck by the light show.

“It means the DNA matches. Means you’re their child. Let’s go for a walk while I send them an owl. They’d love to know you’re here, looking for them,” she says gently. Emma and Regina nod and Wilma walks away. 

“I know who my parents are. I might get to meet them, ask them why they threw me away,” Emma breathes. Regina looks over to find Emm trembling, her eyes filled with tears.

“It’s a lot to take in,” Regina comforts her, putting an arm around her while Emma cries. Wilma thankfully stays away, chatting with Parker the bartender while Emma tries to pull herself together.

 

“Tell me about my birth?” Emma finally requests. They’ve been walking for some time on a little path in the woods. They’ve left the village behind long ago, and they’ve seen many a little cottage as they walk. Some are larger, more opulent than the others. 

“They were young, but all the kids were forced to grow up early at that time,” Wilma sighs. She still hadn’t said their names. “They were grieving, and I guess a drunken weekend rendezvous turned into a pregnancy. On opposite sides of the war, they couldn’t bring a child into this world. Enemies of the father would want blood as reparations for lost lives, and they feared they’d go after the child- you. Enemies of the mother were vindictive and were ruthless, willing to hurt a child to make a point. So they asked me to take you somewhere you’d be safe. I figured overseas was the best option.”

“What… What were they like? My parents?”

“This is their cottage,” Wilma says, stopping suddenly. “It was your father’s.” They’re stopped on the edge of the path, facing a two-story brick cottage overlooking the water. It’s a cute little building: white trimmed lace curtains over the windows, steep sloped roof with black shingles, ivy growing neatly on the walls, a lush perfect garden with roses, tulips, and daffodils, and a stone pathway leading up to the door. Just in front of the pathway, there was a little wooden sign bearing the family name: “The Malfoys.”

“My f-father,” she whispers, tracing her fingers over the name.

“Draco Malfoy,” Wilma confirms. They stood there in silence while Emma absorbed all of this. There’s a loud  _ CRACK _ , and a man with white blonde hair, slicked back on his head appears. 

“Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear,” Regina murmurs. Draco Malfoy strode over confidently, but when he looked at Emma he faltered.

“Emma,” he murmurs. The girl recoils as if he struck her, and Regina watches him wilt. “I’m Draco. Your father.” After a moment of staring at his proffered hand, Emma shakes it.

“Emma Swan,” she introduces herself. His eyes start to water, and he looks to Wilma.

“You adopted her out in America?” 

“Thought it was safer,” she explains. “Away from most of the war damage.”

“Thank you,” he sighs. She nods. Turning back to Emma, he adds, “I did look for you. I just… Didn’t think to look outside of Europe,” he shrugs. “My private detectives said it was untraceable unless I contacted Wilma, but we agreed years ago that your mother and I could only contact Wilma together.”

“My mother,” Emma nods. “Who is my mother?” There’s another  _ CRACK _ and Regina nearly faints.  _ The _ Hermione Granger, the woman who single-handedly changed the way the Wizarding World treated House Elves and was taking the Ministry of Magic by storm, was striding across the lawn toward them. Her famous bushy brown hair was pulled back in a bun and she was wearing sweatpants and a jacket, like she’d just jumped out of bed. 

“Draco,” Hermione cries. “Is this real?” She looks to him and back to Emma. Then to Regina, who’s been standing with her mouth open. It was no real secret that Hermione was Regina’s celebrity crush, and Emma had had a lot of fun teasing her about it whenever they learned about her involvement in the war. 

“M-mom?” Emma stutters. Hermione’s eyes water immediately as she whips around to face Emma, hurrying to embrace her. Emma stiffens under her embrace for a moment before hugging her.

“You should take this inside before the skies open up,” Wilma points out as the clouds above darken. Hermione nods, keeping one arm around Emma’s waist. Scorpius comes up on the other side of her, leading her into the house. Regina and Wilma follow the little, reunited family into the cottage.


	43. Blood Feud (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Slytherin head girl Regina Mills and Gryffindor head girl Emma Swan are secretly in love with each other but have never acted on their feelings due to their mothers still brewing feud from when they were at hogwarts. An accident leads them both to act on their long hidden feelings for one another.” ~Guest on AO3

“Now, what did I teach you about Hogwarts?” Snow asks, holding Emma’s chin between two fingers. The eleven year old squirms excitedly, ready to get on the train and start her seven years at the magic school. She’s been looking forward to it since she was young and got her first training wand.

“Um, have a good time, make lots of friends?” she asks, not looking at her parents, instead focusing on the bustling train platform around them.

“And?” she hints. Emma whines, embarrassed that her future housemates and friends are seeing her with her parents like this.

“And… stay away from the Mills girls?” she guesses. Her mother releases her chin, instead pulling her into a hug. It was no secret that Snow White and Cora Mills were enemies during their time at Hogwarts. Cora made Snow’s life miserable; stealing her boyfriends, mocking her in class, and sabotaging her attempts at succeeding in anything. Now, Cora had two daughters: Zelena the elder, going into her third year, and Regina who was Emma’s age, an incoming first year.

“That’s my good girl. If you stay away from them, you’ll do just fine,” she whispers. When Emma starts to pull away, her mother lets out a sob, and her father joins the hug. “I’m going to miss you.”

“Mom, Dad,come on,” Emma whines. “Please, I have to go. It’s almost time.” They don’t move. “I’m gonna miss the train.” After a few more minutes of pleading and heartfelt goodbyes, Emma is boarding the train, searching for an empty spot in a compartment. She finally finds one, just one brunette girl sitting inside with her head against the window, reading a book. She doesn’t even look up when Emma sits down.

“Hi,” Emma says after a few minutes. “I’m Emma Charming.” The girl’s head snaps up, and freezes. Long brown hair braided down her back, and rich brown eyes. Her skin is warm, tanned from the sun with a smattering of light freckles across her nose.

“Regina Mills,” she says with a smirk. Her voice is lower, and Emma shivers hearing it. Of course she found her way into the Mills girl’s compartment not ten minutes after her mom told her to avoid her. “I’ll understand if you want to try and find somewhere else to sit. But most everyone else who came here did, too. I don’t suppose there’s anywhere else  _ to _ sit,” she sighs. Emma was shifting, considering how to politely leave. But now she stills, laughing at the way Regina seems to regard herself.

“I… suppose you’re right,” Emma laughs awkwardly. “What are you reading?” She settles into her seat as the train leaves London.

When they’re sorted into opposite houses (Gryffindor for Emma and Ravenclaw for Regina) both girls are a bit disappointed. But they keep the friendship alive anyway, in secret of course. Can’t have their mothers finding out.

 

Six years later, and Snow is having the same difficulty leaving her daughter on the train’s platform.

“My baby is head girl,” she sniffles, hugging her tight. Emma rolls her eyes. 

“One of two, mom,” she mumbles. It had been the first year they’d chosen to have two head girls rather than a head girl and a head boy. Regina Mills was the other.

“Of course the Mills girl would find a way to take this away from you,” her mother snorts.

“She didn’t take anything away from me.” Emma rolls her eyes. “And she has a name.  _ Regina _ didn’t take anything away from me since we’re  _ both _ the head girl.”

“Emma, I-”

“No, mom. She’s not her mother. I love you, but I’m getting on the train. Tell dad I love him, too.” She pulls out of her mother’s grasp and boards the train. As per every year, she goes to the last train compartment where Regina waits for her in an empty compartment. It’s become their tradition, and they black out the windows of the compartment so no one can see them together. After fourth year, they used the privacy of that compartment so they could kiss and no one would be the wiser. It, like the room of requirement, became their little safe haven so no one, especially not their mothers, would know about their secret relationship. But it’s their seventh year now. And neither girl is ready to discuss what happens after school ends when they no longer have the opportunity to see each other so often and be undetected. For the entire train ride, they just hold each other, knowing it will be the last time they get to do this in this situation.

 

A few months into their seventh year, there’s a creature running around at nights. It’s Hogwarts, of course there’s a monster. The professors are unsure what it is, and some seem to think it’s another basilisk, petrifying people. Others claim it’s a cruel student who’s found a way to mimic petrification without the basilisk. Either way, the patrols have been doubled. It gives Emma and Regina more nights together, roaming the deserted halls. And yes, they’re generally on edge to watch for a creepy giant snake or a sociopathic student acting as a snake.

“It’s kind of sexy… this dangerous thing we’ve got going on,” Regina whispers in Emma’s ear as they creep around a corner.

“This is serious,” Emma hisses.

“Oh, lighten up. There’s nothing out there,” Regina laughs, kissing Emma’s neck. 

“Gina,” Emma protests, but her protests are quickly swallowed by moans as Regina continues to kiss her. And Emma kisses her back. Both girls are so consumed by each other that they don’t notice the footsteps approaching. They notice nothing until the blow dart sticks Regina in the side. She stiffens, and Emma pulls away. The world slows down as Regina pales, her body stiffening. The blow dart in her withers away, disintegrating into nothing and the person who blew it disappears into the castle while Emma stands there, just as petrified as Regina but without the poison.

 

“Miss Charming, you need to go back to your dormitory,” Madame Pomfrey says. Emma just shakes her head. Luckily, one of the portraits had woken when Emma screamed, realizing what had happened. It alerted the proper authorities and the teachers had brought Regina to the hospital wing where she now lays on a bed. It’s almost comical. Regina is frozen with one hand reaching out where she had been holding Emma’s waist, the other tangled in her hair. Her eyes are closed, and her lips are puckered. If this wasn’t such a serious situation, Emma would be tempted to laugh at her girlfriend.

“I’m not leaving her,” Emma croaks. The sun is coming out, and Headmaster Rumplestiltskin has just arrived along with Professors McGonagall and Flitwick.

“Miss Charming, Cora and Zelena Mills are about to arrive. You might want to disappear before they come around asking with whom her daughter was found to have her making  _ that _ particular face,” the Headmaster giggles.

“I can’t leave her,” Emma whispers.

“It’s not your fault,” McGonagall assures her.

“I distracted her,” Emma argues. McGonagall is about to respond when the doors fly open and Cora and Zelena arrive along with Snow and David Charming behind her.

“Who is responsible for this? I will see them hung by their toes from the rafters,” Cora declares. Emma can see her mother rolling her eyes, but her dad seems to be nodding, agreeing with Cora. Emma doesn’t move.

“Out of the way, Charming,” Zelena says, her usually harsh voice taking on a desperate quality as she tries to get to her sister’s side. 

“I’m not leaving her,” Emma whispers. She just strokes Regina’s cold, unmoving hand.

“You did this to her,” Cora says lowly, advancing on Emma. “You traitorous, idiotic, bumbling,  _ fool _ . You destroyed her! You murderer!” Emma stands, shaking fists at her sides to face Cora.

“I did  _ not! _ I would never hurt her! I love her!” Emma shrieks. The room stands frozen for a moment and Zelena moves closer to Regina.

“Emma, no, you’re just confused,” her mother says softly.

“I love her,” Emma sobs softly. “I distracted her, and it’s my fault she’s like this. All my fault.” She collapses on the ground next to the hospital bed and Madame Pomfrey lifts her with a wave of her wand, putting her on a bed next to Regina.

“Hush now, child. It’ll be alright,” she says softly, giving her a sip of a calming draught to calm her hysterics.

“I love her. They have to know that. I didn’t want to hurt her,” she mumbles sleepily. “I didn’t want to hurt her, I love her.” She closes her eyes leaving her parents with the Mills women and the professors, watching their girls motionless on two different hospital beds.

“So, I guess we should try and put an end to this ridiculous blood feud,” David announces after an awkward silence.

“Only  _ after _ we find who did this to my daughter,” Cora vows, staring down at Regina. “Would someone please tell me why my daughter looks like she was petrified while kissing someone silly?” No one speaks. Rumplestiltskin just giggles.


	44. Tutoring (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “and what about a chapter with red beauty? something like "Person a is homeschooled but wanted better education in her fourth year but everything is so hard and she is afraid to ask for help but lucky for her there's someone in the library who can help. Thanks! :)” ~OnceUponAnOTP

 

It was quite unusual for a non-first year to be in line to be sorted. Almost unheard of actually. Students either came in as first years or were homeschooled by their parents and taught magic that way. People didn’t just come in after first year. Sometimes they left in the middle of their schooling and chose to be homeschooled but no one ever came in as a new student during their fourth year. 

But there she is.

She’s tall, a little gawky and awkward, especially standing in front of the gaggle of first years. She’s clearly the only one who’s even started to go through puberty, evidenced by the curves of her body unable to be hidden by her big black robe. She’s got long legs, long arms and pointy elbows. She’s pale with beautiful dark curls braided down her back and big hazel eyes, widened as she gazes around the great hall.

“Ruby Lucas!” McGonagall calls out, the words ringing out over the hall. Ruby hoped that no one could see her legs shaking as she sat on the stool and Professor McGonagall slips an old, tattered hat over her head.

“Aren’t you a little old to be a first year?” a voice whispers in her ear. Ruby jumps, letting out a startled whimper and she can hear the entire hall laughing. She can feel the tips of her ears turning pink.

“I’m going into fourth year. I was homeschooled,” she whispers.

“Looking for a better education, I see,” the voice creaks. “But not for the knowledge. No, you want an adventure. Something more than what your granny and her little bakery cottage in the woods could provide you.” Ruby nods. “Mmm… You’re brave, too. And loyal. Those you love mean the world to you… Better be… GRYFFINDOR!” He shouts the last word and the audience erupts into cheers. The hat is whipped off her head and she grins out at everyone, standing as the last table on the end waves her over. She runs over, tripping over the edges of her feet as she makes her way to a pretty girl with brown hair, bright eyes and a big smile.

“Hi, I’m Belle,” she introduces herself. “I’m a fourth year.”

“Me, too! Ruby Lucas,” she smiles, shaking her hand. “Looks like we’ll be classmates.” Belle nods, turning back to face the front as Professor McGonagall starts calling up the first years.

 

One month into the year and Ruby is already considering going back to Granny.

“It’s so hard,” she writes. “They all learned certain things a certain way and I don’t even know what they’re doing.” Granny was curt when she writes back, and Ruby feels like she insulted her. First she left Granny to get a better education, and then she writes home complaining about how she didn’t learn anything to prepare her. It was probably a slap in the face to her granny.

“Are you alright, Miss Lucas?” Professor McGonagall asks one day when Ruby stalls after class, glancing up at her every few seconds. “You’ll be late to your next class.”

“I… Professor I’m not doing so well… in my classes,” Ruby says softly. McGonagall raises an eyebrow, gesturing to her ear.

“Sorry dear, I’m getting a bit older now. My hearing’s not as good as it was when I was young. What’d you say?” she asks, coming a little closer. Ruby’s face turns red as she steps up to face McGonagall across her desk. She’s blinking rapidly to keep the tears from spilling over and McGonagall conjures a chair for her to sit in.

“I’m not doing well… in my classes… Or making friends. I don’t… I don’t think I should have come here,” she says, trying not to sound as whiny and pathetic as she feels. She sniffles, staring down at her hands. “Everyone already has their friend groups. No one’s mean to me, exactly, but no one really goes out of their way to say hi to me. And I don’t know what I’m doing in any of my classes, so I think I’m gonna fail out and I just… I don’t know what to do,” she whimpers. McGonagall wordlessly hands her a box of tissues.

“I’m glad you came to me, though I could have helped you earlier, too,” she says gently. “The transition can be difficult from homeschooling to formal education. Perhaps I can recommend a tutor to help you catch up on some work.” Ruby nods.

“I heard the Ravenclaws are all top form students,” she offers. 

“Ah, yes but knowledge isn’t what you need. You need someone who has a deep understanding of everything, and the patience to teach you. Also, I’m assuming you’d like someone who won’t be broadcasting this everywhere- not that you have  _ anything _ to be ashamed of, dear, but discretion is always a good quality.”

“Uh, y-yeah,” Ruby stammers. “That’s perfect.” Had McGonagall been planning on finding her a tutor before she asked?

“As for making friends, the tutor I’m suggesting for you should be able to help you with that. Belle French is a wonderful girl. Sometimes she just doesn’t know how to approach people. She came to me with a similar problem to yours her first year,” McGonagall smiles gently. Ruby has to think for a moment. Belle, the sweet girl who first spoke to her on the night of the sorting,  Belle was quiet whenever she was around Ruby, but when she was surrounded by other people, she seems like the life of the party. She talks and laughs with everybody, smiling and generally being nice to everyone. How did she not have friends at one point? It baffled Ruby.

“Um, okay. Yeah, I’ll ask her later. Thanks, professor,” Ruby smiles.

“Now, hurry along. I’ll send Professor Mills news that you’ll be a little late to potions because you were with me,” she smiles kindly and Ruby grins, grabbing her bag and running down the halls. Her footsteps echo on the stone walls as she makes her way to potions (another class she’s failing).

 

“Um, Belle, can I talk to you?” Ruby asks. She had been waiting for Belle to be alone ever since yesterday, but she can’t seem to catch her. Even now, in the library surrounded by her books and schoolwork, she’s got her gaggle of friends: Regina Mills from Ravenclaw, Emma Swan and Mary Margaret Blanchard from Hufflepuff, and Will Scarlett from Slytherin. She can feel everyone’s eyes staring at her as she shifts nervously. 

“Yeah, sure. I’ll be right back, guys,” Belle smiles as she stands. Ruby glances around, looking for a place to go, but Belle just takes her wrist gently and leads her through the stacks of books, skirting around students doing research for assignments, and takes her to an empty, deserted section. There’s dust on all the books. “These books are all about the history creation of spells. No one ever comes back here,” Belle whispers with a grin. “What do you need?”

“A tutor,” she blurts out. She claps her hand over her mouth, mortified at her bluntness. “Sorry, it’s just, um… I am… Not doing so hot in my classes. It’s just… a lot harder than I thought it would be coming here.” Belle nods sympathetically.

“You were homeschooled before, right?” Ruby nods, digging her toe into the carpet. She’s a full head taller than Belle, and the younger girl still has the gawky angles and proportions of someone not yet done growing. It makes Ruby feel even more stupid, like she’s being taught by a child, less intelligent than a child. “Right, so the transition is really difficult. I was homeschooled by my papa for kindergarten and first grade, but I wanted to go to a real school to learn more. It was really hard at first, and I fell behind. But it’s okay, I can get you caught up. What classes do you need help in?”

“All of them… except care of magical creatures,” Ruby admits with a wince. She was good with animals since they lived in the middle of the forest. Granny wanted her to know how to protect them from every creature that dwelled in the woods. She actually felt she knew more than Hagrid did about some of the animals (not that she would  _ ever _ voice this).

“Okay, we can do that. It’ll take a lot of time, just so you know. We can meet a few times a week. Are there any days you can’t meet?” Ruby shakes her head. She doesn’t really do anything except try to work on her assignments (and fail, usually). “Okay, so how about we start with four days during the week, and a little while on Saturday? Monday we can work on your Charms and transfiguration. Tuesdays we can do herbology and. Wednesdays… Defense against the dark arts. Thursdays, Professor Mills lets me and her daughter Regina practice some potions in the dungeon so we can work then. On Saturday afternoons we can do history of magic, any electives you have. We’ll have to do some of your astronomy work on Saturday night.”

“I take muggle studies. I’m not  _ too _ bad at that, but I’m not so good at writing the papers, so if you could read them over, it would be helpful.” Ruby bites her lip. “I know it’s a lot for you to take on, and I don’t want your social life or schoolwork to suffer. So, like, if it gets to be too much can you promise you’ll tell me?” Belle smiles, smirking a little bit.

“I promise, but can I tell you a secret?” Ruby nods eagerly. “I got a time turner from the ministry so I can take two classes that run at the same time. It’s helpful because it lets me spend all night doing homework and then go back and sleep for hours. It’s pretty cool.” Ruby’s eyes widen.

“That’s cool,” she whispers, glancing at the necklace chain Belle is playing with. Is that the time turner?

“Yeah, but you can’t tell anyone because no one else knows. Not even my other friends. It’s our secret,” she says with a wink. Ruby flushes, her heart fluttering. It’s  _ nice _ to have a secret with someone, to feel accepted.

“Not like I have anyone  _ to _ tell,” she shrugs, smiling. But Belle frowns.

“You should hang out with us more often,” Belle tells her. The way she says it, so sincerely, makes Ruby feel like Belle actually  _ wants _ her around, isn’t just being polite because she feels bad.

“Okay,” Ruby nods with a grin. “You’ll probably get sick of me what with all this tutoring and everything.” Belle chuckles, linking arms with Ruby as they walk back out to the library.

 

And yet, Belle doesn’t seem to get sick of Ruby.

They spend all of their time together, whether they’re working on assignments or just hanging out. Ruby finds that Belle likes to find books in the library, check them out, and take them outside when it’s nice. She reads underneath a tree that overlooks the Black Lake, and Ruby finds she likes to read, too. Ruby finds old textbooks on theories that other kids learned in their first through third year. When she finds something that confuses her, she marks the page. She lays with her head on Belle’s stomach, moving lightly every time Belle breathes. It’s a relaxing motion, and sometimes Belle absentmindedly runs her hand through Ruby’s hair.

“Ruby, did you ever date anyone when you lived with your Granny?” Belle asks one rainy afternoon. They’re sitting in their dorm room on the window ledge, Ruby’s head still on Belle’s stomach.

“Mmmm… No. Not too many opportunities to find people to date when you live in a cottage near the woods. Sometimes I’d go in the nearby town to play when I was younger. Then kids started calling me a freak and they thought my granny was, like, a werewolf or something. They were muggles, so they didn’t know we were witches. It was this big thing, to call us werewolves and killers and evil witches. They’d sneak out to vandalize our cottage.” Ruby’s voice is soft and she stops, remembering how she left Granny there to deal with those teenagers all by herself. “So, nah, none of the town kids appealed to me.”

“Hmm,” Belle mumbles.

“Why?” Ruby turns to look up at Belle, craning her neck to find Belle blushing, staring intently at her book. “Have you ever dated before?”

“No,” Belle says quickly, shaking her head. 

“But…” Ruby teases with a grin.

“But, there’s a girl I like,” Belle sighs.

“A girl?” Ruby asks, tilting her head. Belle nods, nervously shifting. Ruby sits up, moving to sit on the opposite end of the ledge, intertwining their legs. She nudges Belle gently, smiling when Belle looks up. “Do I know her? She must be a special girl to be getting your attention.”

“She is,” Belle nods, smiling quietly. She releases a shaky breath.

“Who is this mystery girl?” Ruby teases.

“That’s for me to know, and you to find out,” Belle hums. Ruby just pouts teasingly before lying back down on Belle’s stomach.

“Do I know her?” Ruby asks. Belle rolls her eyes playfully.

“Mmmm… Yes,” Belle admits.

“Is she… a Ravenclaw?” Belle wrinkles her nose.

“No.”

“Hufflepuff?”

“Unh-unh.”

“Not a Slytherin?” Belle smirks, shaking her head. Their books lay forgotten on the floor next to them as Ruby enjoys teasing Belle like this. She feels warm and comfortable here, like she’s found a new home here. “So she’s a Gryffindor.”

“Yep,” Belle confirms, looking out the window. The rain is pounding at the glass, a steady rhythm that keeps her grounded.

“Is it… Merida?” Ruby asks, looking at the way the lightning illuminates the angles of Belle’s face.

“No! She’s a seventh year!” Belle laughs. “Here’s a hint: she’s one of the people I tutor.” Well, that only barely narrows it down. Belle tutors pretty much everyone at some point or another. Right now Ruby is her main student since she needs it the most, but she helps almost everyone with homework and assignments. Most Gryffindors find her much more approachable than the Ravenclaws.

“Well… Is she a fourth year?” Belle bites her lip, looking away as her cheeks color and she nods. Ruby inhales sharply. “M-me?” Belle nods, unable to look Ruby in the eye. Ruby squirms, sitting up again to face Belle. Belle shrinks in on herself, drawing her knees to her chest and tucking her chin into her knees. Ruby just tugs on her ankles, pulling her legs out and scooting Belle closer to her, across her lap.

“You don’t have to say anything. It’s just a crush, and I’ll get over it,” she whispers. “”I can recommend another tutor and-” Ruby interrupts Belle’s scared whimpering with a kiss. It wasn’t like fireworks, but it was the best kiss she’d ever had. It was soft, and sweet. Like being wrapped up in a warm blanket after a long day, sitting in front of the fire in the common room. It felt like coming home.

“I don’t want another tutor,” Ruby whispers. “I want  _ you _ .” Belle smiles, pressing her forehead against Ruby’s. 

“Good. Because I want you,” she mumbles before pulling Ruby into another kiss. 

When Ruby writes home to tell Granny about her week, she completely forgets to tell her about how well she’s doing in classes; she has to tell her about her new girlfriend first.


	45. It's Quite Lonely (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Emma Swan is not a nice person. Groomed to be a Slytherin from birth she had certain standards. She despised anyone from the Gryffindor house, as they all annoyed her. She loathed the Ravenclaw's, and well the Hufflepuff's were just in her way. What no one knew though was that she craved friendship. She keeps everyone at arm’s length because she knows it'll only be a matter of time before her mother finds out and takes things into her own hands. However as much as she hates and loathes and is just annoyed by all the other houses there is one person who keeps her sane. Her girlfriend, who's surprisingly in Gryffindor (she was still questioning how that happened) Regina is always there for her and to keep her calm. But when Emma's mother finds out will Emma finally make a stand for herself?” ~DisturbingVision

It was no surprise when Emma Swan was sorted into Slytherin. Her family had been Slytherins longer than the Malfoys had. She just smirked as they took off the sorting hat and she swaggered down to Slytherin to meager, scattered applause. She had made no friends on the train ride, being rude to everyone. She insulted anyone who wasn’t planning on becoming a Slytherin, anyone who wanted something different. And those few students who wanted to be in Slytherin, she sneered at and said they weren’t worthy. It was no great loss to her when she ate dinner alone. It was no shock to her when the other first year girls didn’t talk to her in the dorm that night. 

“You don’t need friends, dear. Friends are a waste of time. They’ll only drag you down. You keep out of those nasty personal relationships at school dear. I don’t want to hear of you getting caught up in anything like that, you understand?” Her mother had instructed her before she got on the train. Emma nodded briskly before giving her mother a quick, impersonal hand shake and getting on the train.

So Emma isn’t insulted when the other girls start to whisper and giggle without her. She just rolls over on the bed, draws the curtains shut and closes her eyes. She pretends she can’t hear the girls giggling, laughing and bonding. It’s easier to ignore them than to feel sad that she can’t join them.

 

Over her seven years, Emma made no friends. She drove everyone away with her cruel words, her glares, and her distinct hatred for her fellow students, particularly the Gryffindors. Her professors suggested she reach out to others, make connections.

“They’ll be your friends for life,” they encouraged. “You really ought to try harder to be nice to them.” Emma would just sneer and walk away, reminding them she didn’t need to make any lifelong friends.

She only made one connection over her time- and  _ everyone _ , including Emma, was astonished. Emma still isn’t quite sure how Regina- a  _ Gryffindor _ , mind you- got past all her defenses. It was slow, and subtle. Regina would climb over one barrier, slowly and stealthily, all the while distracting Emma to keep her from. And once she was past the first barrier, she’d carefully started pulling down those bricks surrounding Emma’s heart. By the end of fifth year, they’d become best friends without Emma even realizing. At the start of sixth year, they were dating.

It was an odd relationship at first glance, but it made sense the longer they were together. Regina softened Emma’s harsh edges, keeping her calm when she got angry with people. She became Emma’s sounding board. Emma learned it was better to hold her tongue rather than be cruel. She saved up her insults and ranted to Regina late at night in the room of requirement. People began to tolerate Emma.

But Regina wasn’t perfect either, and Emma was changing her too. Regina was selfless, often to a fault. She would do anything for anyone, even if it would harm her. She was smart, and for the first few years at Hogwarts, she would stay up until all hours helping others with their homework. She would do assignments for friends who were struggling because she didn’t want them to fail. Despite her intelligence, Regina’s grades were starting to slip. She had spent so much time helping others that she forgot to do her own assignments. Emma taught Regina that it was okay to be a little selfish. Sometimes, it was better for Regina to say no to some people so that she could help herself. They were good for each other.

They were so good for each other, but Emma was still terrified of what her mother would do if they found out. She made them hide the true nature of their relationship, but Regina was getting sick of hiding.

“My mother keeps trying to set me up with the sons of her work friends. I want to be able to tell her I’m taken,” Regina whispers one afternoon. They’re sitting under a tree by the lake, working on homework together. Emma likes to have these distractions around if they hang out in public. It makes it easier to lie and say they’re just helping each other out.

“And I told you that if  _ my _ mother finds out about us, she’ll make us break up. She’ll use her position in the ministry to transfer  _ your _ mother somewhere else. Or she’ll have you killed. I don’t know! But she will  _ not _ let us stay together,” Emm explains. Her voice is harsh, and Regina flinches away from her. Emma sighs, running a hand through her hair. Breaking their rule of no PDA, Emma grabs her girlfriend’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “Babe, I’m sorry. I know you want to be public. But my mother… You don’t know what she’ll do to me- to  _ us _ if she finds out.” Regina nods, but still looks melancholy. So Emma leans in, kisses her on the lips gently.

“Emma,” Regina whispers, smiling into the kiss. She pulls away. “We can’t keep a secret if you kiss me like that.” Emma blushes, shrugging.

“Couldn’t help it.” Both girls smile and go back to their work, not noticing the gaggle of Slytherins. One grabs a piece of parchment, hastily scribbling a note before running off to the owlery.

 

Two days later, Ileana Swan stormed into the Great Hall.

The Headmaster was following meekly behind her, but no one could stop Ileana Swan. It was dinner time, and everyone was sitting around, laughing and joking. Emma sat alone, as she always did. But she and Regina would make eye contact over the tables, across the hall from each other. When Ileana walked in, everything stopped. All conversation, the sound of forks scraping plates, even the candles seemed to stop floating for a moment.

“Where the hell is my daughter?” she booms. Meekly, Emma stands, striding over to her mother in a weak attempt to mimic her mother’s swagger. “You insipid little fool. After everything I’ve done for you, you throw it away?” She does not lower her voice even as Emma comes closer. Emma knows her mother likes to shame her- it’s always been her favorite manner of parenting.

“Mother, what do you mean?” Emma asks softly. Her cheeks are starting to redden, and she desperately wants it to stop.

“I taught you how to succeed. I bred you for success, and gave you one, simple instruction. And you disobeyed me. Got involved  _ romantically _ with that Mills girl. She’s weighing you down in your final year, and I will not stand for it. You will break up with her immediately,” she sneers. Emma blanches.

“Mother-”

“No protests. You will break up with her immediately. Regina Mills? Come here,” her mother calls. Emma wants to tell Regina to hide, but her proud, stubborn girlfriend stands with her chin held high and approaches the two blonde women standing by the door. The crowd is completely silent, watching the drama unfold like dinner theater. The headmaster and several teachers are trying to get Ileana to go somewhere more private but she refuses.

“I’m Regina Mills,” she declares proudly.

“My daughter is severing her relationship with you,” Ileana informs her.

“She can tell me that herself,” Regina replies. Emma is trying desperately to sink into the floor when both women turn back to her. “Emma?” Regina quirks an eyebrow.

“Tell her, dear. You are far too busy for trivial relationships. You are going to become the next Minister for Magic, and must be focused on your studies,” Ileana coaches her. Emma stammers nervously.

“Mother, this isn’t a trivial relationship,” Emma whispers. “I love her.”

“Love,” Ileana scoffs. “Love is weakness. You cannot have it if you want to be successful.” Regina narrows her eyes and squares her shoulders. Emma can tell Regina is waiting for her to protest.

“Would you rather your daughter be happy or successful?” she asks when it becomes clear Emma isn’t going to say anything.

“Of  _ course _ I want her to be happy,” Ileana rolls her eyes. “And she will be happy when she has made something of herself.”

“She  _ is _ happy!” Regina argues. “Tell her, Em.” Emma opens and closes her mouth silently.

“I-I-I… Mother, I am happy. She makes me happy. I’ve been so… so alone my whole life. Regina makes me happy.” Her voice is small, weak.

“Emma Mariana Swan, you will break up with her this instant. If you ever want to see any of your inheritance, if you ever want to  _ be _ somebody, you will do as I say,” she commands. Emma shrinks. 

“Mother-” she starts softly.

“You will be alone. Penniless. Try becoming Minister for Magic with no money, no job prospects, no connections. Everything you are, everything you have, all of your success is thanks to  _ me. _ ”

“Emma,” Regina interrupts. “I can’t promise you a huge bank account in Gringotts, or a future position in the ministry. I can’t even guarantee you we’ll make it to our ten year anniversary. No one can guarantee anything in the future. But I can make you happy right now. I can love you-  _ right now _ . I can promise that I will love you, and cherish you. Because you make me  _ better _ Emma. You make me happy, and I love you.”

“Well then, Emma. Seems you have to make a decision,” her mother announces coldly. She raises one eyebrow. “A life in squalor with this  _ girl _ \- or a life of power, money, and success with your family.”

“I…” The entire hall waits with bated breath. “I choose neither. I don’t want to choose between the love of my life or my mother. It’s not fair!” Emma whimpers. Regina deflates.

“I understand,” she whispers, kissing Emma’s temple. “It’s okay. I understand. She’s your mother. I understand.” Emma is shaking.

“Soft, weak,” Ileana hisses. She grabs Emma’s arm roughly. “This school has  _ ruined _ you. You can’t even make a decision. You’re so-”

“I changed my mind! I choose her,” Emma interrupts. Regina beams. Emma straightens, staring at her mother. “I choose her. All Regina wants for me is to be happy. She was willing to back off if it meant I could be happy. She was okay with my choice. But you- you’re terrible!” Emma’s chest is heaving and she’s not sure when she started yelling.

“I see you’ve made up your mind,” Ileana sneers. “Good luck making a life for yourself without the Swan family fortune, without the respect our name commands. You are  _ nothing _ without me.” She’s walking away by the time Emma can respond.

“I am not nothing!” she shouts after her mother. “I was never nothing!” She’s shaking again and Regina gathers her up as Emma’s legs give out.

“Oh, Miss Swan, let’s get you up to the infirmary,” the Headmaster sighs. As Regina helps her out of the hall, it erupts in chatter again. 

 

Regina doesn’t get a chance to talk to Emma until much later, after the healer has given her a calming concoction. It was late, and Regina should be getting to bed but no one has the heart to kick her out. She sits by Emma’s head, stroking her hair until Emma opens her eyes.

“Oh Emma,” she breathes. “My sweet, sweet  _ idiot _ .”

“Hey,” Emma laughs sleepily. “I did this big, romantic thing where I… renounced my family name for your honor and love. You can’t call me an idiot.”

“You  _ are _ an idiot. Your mother… She cares for you in her own twisted way. I told you it was okay to break up with me.” Regina smiles sadly. “Now you’re broke. And homeless.” Emma’s smile slides off her face.

“I just love you… Couldn’t let her talk to you like that. And I didn’t want to be minister for magic anyway. I just… I wanted to be happy as me, but my mother wanted me to be everything she couldn’t…” Regina sighs, caressing Emma’s cheek.

“How did I ever get lucky enough to have you?” Regina asks. Emma smirks.

“I’m an excellent kisser?” Regina laughs. “I’m really, really attractive and funny?” Regina smiles, shaking her head. “You’re not the lucky one- I am?” Regina nods.

“You’re lucky I love you,” Regina smirks, leaning in to kiss her.

“So I guess we can do this now,” Emma sighs. “No point hiding anymore.”

“Hey, it’ll get… less sucky,” Regina promises. “I’ll help you. It’s what I do.”

“It’s what  _ we _ do,” Emma corrects. “We help each other, right?”

“Right,” Regina smiles happily. “We help each other. And we’ll figure this out. Because you’re not in this alone anymore. It’s you, and it’s me. We can do this together.” Emma smiles, grabs her girlfriend’s hand.

“Together,” she promises.


	46. Ten Years Later (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Emma and Regina dated while attending Hogwarts until Regina broke up with Emma their last year together. However Emma doesn't know that the reason was because Cora threatened to have Emma killed should they stay together. Ten years later a reunion for the class is held Regina spots Emma knowing that since her mother was in Azkaban for life that she may still have a chance. Before she makes her way over though she spots Emma with her 'date' Elsa. Seeing that Emma moved on hurts and so she decided to leave. Emma hanging out with her muggle cousin who wanted to see the wizarding world sees Regina leave. Wondering why Emma chases after her.” ~DisturbingVision

It sits on the kitchen table, mocking her.

It was delivered by a school barn owl a week ago. Glittering and dancing in the light- no, literally the people in the pictures danced- the invitation mocks her. It’s a big card; on the front is the Hogwarts crest surrounded by small photos of Emma’s classmates and their years at Hogwarts. When she opens it, the card proclaims the date and time of the event, which is also written in purple script. There are directions, information about RSVPs and portkeys and apparition points. Mary Margaret organized the entire thing and she wrote a small note on Emma’s invitation.

_ Really hope you come! Feel free to bring a date or someone! _

But Emma didn’t date anymore, not seriously. She’d hook up, get dinner or meet people at a club. One night stands were the only thing Emma knew anymore. The last time Emma dated someone exclusively she had her heart ripped out of her chest.

In her sixth and seventh years at Hogwarts, Emma had started dating the Ravenclaw prefect Regina Mills. It was beautiful, and perfect. Emma saw herself settling down with Regina- someday in the future, of course. She saw a life, kids, a house, marriage. When Emma decided she wanted to be an Auror, she imagined Regina sitting at her graduation from the program. Whenever she looked forward, she saw Regina. 

Then one day, a month before their last day of seventh year, Regina broke up with her. No explanation, now warning. They had been sitting together underneath a tree near the shore of the Black Lake. Emma was trying to study, and hadn’t noticed Regina fidgeting until she cleared her throat. She couldn’t even look at Emma while she did it, just stared out at the lake.

“We’re not working. This isn’t going anywhere, Emma. I’m breaking up with you,” she had said. And just like that, she got up and left. It broke Emma. 

So she didn’t really feel like going to this reunion where she’d probably see Regina with someone else, happy and successful. But she knew Mary Margaret would call her and come over and keep asking if she didn’t go. So, Emma found someone to go with her and make things less awkward, and sent in her RSVP for two to Mary Margaret.

 

Regina was miserable. 

It wasn’t the fact that she hated her job in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (a good stepping stone to minister for magic, according to her mother). It wasn’t the fact that she was single. It wasn’t the fact that she was alone here at the stupid ten year Hogwarts reunion. It wasn’t any of these things. It was all of them.

Misery has been a constant state of being for the past ten years. She’s been miserable ever since her seventh year at Hogwarts after her mother had delivered her ultimatum. She knew that Cora Mills cared about her daughter in her own strange way. She had been mothering with ultimatums for as long as Regina could remember: be a good girl or else mommy would go away on a business trip, stay quiet while mommy’s friends are over or else she won’t turn on the nightlight, be in an honorable house or she couldn’t bring her pet cat.

It had been a rare sunny day in April, a Hogsmeade weekend. Regina had agreed to meet her mother for a nice dinner in a little hidden bistro, leaving her long term girlfriend Emma in the Three Broomsticks with their friends. It took until their drinks arrived and their meals were ordered before Cora got to the point.

“You need to break up with your girlfriend,” she said flatly over the rim of her glass. Regina coughs, choking on her butterbeer.

“Mother!” she hisses.

“You need to break up with her. She’s a pretty blonde distraction. I have allowed you to keep her during your school days because your grades have not suffered. However, you cannot afford to have her around if you are to become the youngest ever female minister for magic. So, you need to break up with her,” she explains. It’s moments like these when Regina remembers why the rest of her family were Slytherins. They were pragmatic, cold, and thought only of furthering themselves.

“Mother, I love her,” Regina exhales, horrified that she’s even suggesting this.

“Love is weakness, dear,” she laughs lightly. “If you can’t break up with her, I can ensure the relationship is terminated. Miss Swan intends to be an Auror, yes? Well, far too often up and coming Aurors meet unfortunate accidents. It would be a shame if all you were known for was being the grieving girlfriend.” Regina’s blood chills.

“You’d kill her?” Regina asks, but she already knew the answer. “You’d have the love of my life killed?”

“Oh, please. It’s not me making the decision; it’s up to you. Your love, or her life,” she sighs. And then she just keeps eating her food like nothing is wrong. Within three days, Regina had broken up with Emma. She had been miserable ever since.

Now she’s got on an uncomfortable dress and shoes that pinch and she’s watching all of her old classmates get drunk and compete to see whose life is going better.

“Ah, Regina! So good to see you! How’ve you been?” Mary Margaret chirps. The former Hufflepuff is beaming, like she always is. But she’s grown up. She cut her hair short, and her fashion sense has definitely improved. David Nolan, former Gryffindor, is hanging on her arm and grinning. They’d been dating since fourth year and now had a baby on the way if Mary Margaret’s swollen belly is any indication.

“I’ve been fine. Busy with work and all, but you seem to be  _ glowing _ ,” Regina grins, taking another sip of firewhiskey- hey, whatever it takes to get her through this.

“Ah, yeah. This is our second, actually! Our first is at home with his mother, a little girl name Emily,” Mary Margaret smiles, rubbing her belly. Regina could sense her before she could see her. She was listening to Mary Margaret talk about baby names (apparently it’s a boy this time so they’re considering Daniel, or maybe Neal) when she felt the presence, the stares of people reminiscing over their mysterious breakup in seventh year. She saw her over Mary Margaret’s shoulder.

Emma looks amazing, as she always did. She’s toned and her tight pink dress manages to show off every single aspect of her body. Her blond hair is curled, falling gently over her back and even from across the room Regina can see her green eyes sparkling. And then the crowd shifts and Regina can see the girl on Emma’s arm. She’s beautiful, regal even. Pale as ice with white blonde hair. She’s got a light blue floor length dress that sparkles in the candlelight. Her arm around Emma’s waist squeezes tighter as Emma kisses her cheek and Regina’s glass shatters.

“Oh!” Mary Margaret gasps. 

“Sorry, sorry. I-I need to, um, I need to go,” Regina murmurs as she quickly walks out. But everyone’s eyes are on her as she leaves. Emma’s eyes are on her as she murmurs something in her date’s ear and runs out.

 

“Regina, wait!” Emma calls. Regina keeps walking, shaking her head. Her heels click on the stone floors of the Ozdust Ballroom where Mary Margaret had booked the reunion. “I can explain!” Regina stops abruptly and turns to look at Emma.

“My mother is in Azkaban,” she blurts out. This was no secret. It was the front page headline in every wizarding newspaper for the past few months. Cora Mills was convicted for poisoning political rivals and everyone learned what a snake she really was.

“I… I know, I heard. Are you… okay?” Emma asks gently, more than a little bewildered.

“No… I- That’s not why I’m telling you. I… She’s gone. She can’t… Can’t hurt us anymore. I thought that maybe… I came here tonight… hoping that we could… have another chance. Because she can’t hurt us anymore,” Regina explains, unable to look directly at Emma. A laugh bubbles up somewhere in her chest. “We’re… finally safe, but we can’t.”

“What do you mean?” Emma asks. “We’re safe? We can… What? Be together? What does that have to do with your mother? You broke up with me ten  _ years _ ago and said we weren’t working. What is… What are you talking about?”

“No, no, I can’t. I can’t do this. Even though she’s gone… We still can’t. I should go,” Regina mumbles, shaking her head and starting to walk away. Emma grabs her wrist, pulling her back with a growl.

“No! You don’t get to- I won’t  _ let _ you walk away from me again. I let you walk away once and it broke me. Not again. What is going on?” she insists. Regina takes a deep breath.

“In seventh year, my mother gave me an ultimatum: break up with you, or she has you killed. She wanted me to be the youngest minister of magic, and the first female. She called you a ‘pretty blonde distraction’ and threatened your life. So, I broke up with you. I thought that maybe… since she was gone… We could… try again, but you’re… You’ve obviously moved on,” Regina explains hesitantly. She glances between Emma’s eyes and her shoes every few seconds. Blinking owlishly, Emma just stares for a few minutes in silence. Regina doesn’t know what to do. Then, Emma starts  _ laughing. _

“Oh, oh God, no, don’t be mad,” she wheezes between laughs, grabbing at Regina’s wrist as she starts to walk away again.

“You’re laughing at me, and you know I hate that,” Regina hisses. But she stays.

“I… I’ve been absolutely  _ miserable _ since the day you broke up with me. I’ve tried dating. I’ve tried meaningless, casual sex. I’ve tried volunteering at clinics and with community outreach. I’ve tried everything, but I can’t get you out of my head! I’ve… I got a cat. Named Henry. And now… Now you say you want to try again, but we  _ can’t _ and I don’t really know why. What is keeping us apart  _ this _ time?” Emma rambles.

“Your  _ date _ ,” Regina replies icily. And again, Emma starts laughing. Regina wants to slap her. “I’m leaving.”

“No, no, don’t!” Emma begs. She makes an effort to stop laughing. “She’s not my date.”

“Then who is she?” Regina asks, not thawing yet.

“She was my foster family’s niece. My cousin. Elsa Parish. She’s a muggle and wanted to see the wizarding world. I’ve taken her to Diagon Alley, even to Hogsmeade. But she wanted to see all the witches and wizards. Partying, and dancing, and being social. She wanted to experience it, so I took her,” Emma explains, never dropping her smile.

“You kissed her cheek.” But Regina is looking at her now with something other than contempt in her eyes.

“She’s family. She’s… my best friend. It was a friendly kiss. You know how I really kiss,” she whispers, stepping closer. She keeps coming until Emma is right in front of her.

“And how’s that?” Regina exhales. Emma can feel her lips moving as she speaks.

“Like this,” Emma smirks. And she leans in, kissing Regina and it’s like no time has passed. There were no ten years between them, no death threats or ultimatums, broken hearts or broken promises, no bad feelings. They’re just two seventeen year olds sitting on the shore of the lake, making out under the stars until Hagrid came to break them apart. But this time, there is no Hagrid. And they can apparate straight to their hotel to continue kissing.


	47. Lord Dark One (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hogwarts has been taken over by the Dark One, he claims to be the next dark lord and to extinguish all muggleborn and halfblood's. Enter Emma Swan, muggleborn and Head Auror. Thinking it'd just be another simple day she gets a stallion patronus from Regina, her wife alerting her of the take over before anyone else knew it was happening. Not one to sit idly by she informs her team to prepare themselves and they take off to save the day.” ~DisturbingVision

It was an ordinary morning- or rather, as ordinary as mornings can get at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. The students were all gathered in the Great Hall for breakfast, dressed in their school robes. The teachers were sat at the long table in the front of the hall, quietly discussing the assent of the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin. He had been amassing followers all year, gathering Voldemort’s old supporters and some new fanatics. They were a motley crew of people, all of whom stood for different things: pureblood supremacy, wizard and muggle integration, wizard and muggle segregation, muggle extermination and muggle enslavement to name a few.

“He can’t unite enough people without one cause. He’s just a pretentious fool at this point,” the Headmaster declares. Head of Slytherin Regina Swan-Mills just shrugs.

“The Dark One is powerful, more powerful than we could ever predict. I wouldn’t count him out just yet,” she warns them. They all nod, murmuring their assent before finishing up their breakfast.

 

It happened at lunch.

Everyone was once again gathered, laughing and eating. Except for the teachers. The Headmaster was notably absent, along with the transfiguration professor Ruby Lucas and the defense professor David Nolan. There had been a breach in the castle’s security spells and they were trying to find the source. The teachers had made an announcement that roaming the halls during lunch hour was no longer permitted, and a few of the teachers were sweeping the corridors and dormitories to round up all the stragglers. They didn’t want to alarm students unnecessarily but couldn’t risk their safety.

Regina was just standing off to the side near the trophy room, ready to go join the Headmaster when the front doors burst open. Students screamed as debris flew everywhere. Hundreds of people in black cloaks marched in, hoods drawn and wands out. Spells started flying. Regina ducked behind the entrance to the trophy room as the invaders stunned the teachers at the front table. The students screamed.

“That’s right children,” one voice shouts. It’s light, airy, and it’s  _ giggling. _ “It is  _ I _ \- the Dark One… Your new  _ Dark Lord _ .” A few children scream. Regina can see some of the younger ones- the ones who’ve grown up seeing the damage the last dark lord had caused- start to cry. “I’ve come to conquer the school and start my reign over the wizarding world.”

“You lot here, get up,” one of the people in cloaks grunts, jabbing his wand at a group of Hufflepuff third years. Regina growls lowly, resisting the urge to go protect them. She can’t fight all of those people, not alone. She slinks back further into the trophy room, hiding amongst the glittering cases. Quietly, she waves her wand, preparing her patronus.

The silvery stallion gallops around a moment before coming back, turning to face Regina, waiting for the message. She starts to speak, quickly before anyone comes to find her. She’s just sent off the message to get help before she hears footsteps.

“Thought you could hide from me, Mills?” the Dark One giggles. Regina turns.

“Rumplestiltskin,” she says lowly, turning to face him.

“It’s been a long time, Regina,” he smiles, lowering his hood. His skin glitters in the candlelight, his teeth are crooked and wild, and his eyes are full of mirth. “I’ve missed you.” He waves his wand and she can feel him taking control of her body. “Let’s go back and see the start of my new empire, eh?” With another flourish of his wand, she starts marching back into the Great Hall. She tries to grimace, to shout to warn her students, anything. But she can’t do anything. She’s helpless to save her students. She just has to hope that her message made its way. She has to believe that someone is coming to save them. She has to.

 

Emma was bored. She thought being an Auror would be more exciting than this. And sure, sometimes she gets to go out on missions and save people and arrest bad people but they’re in peacetime. There’s no dark lords to fight (the self-proclaimed dark one Rumpelstiltskin doesn’t count because he’s not even doing anything besides talking), no follower to duel. It’s just run-of-the-mill average petty criminals. And every time she  _ does _ do something, it’s followed by a week’s worth of paperwork. She had just finished this paperwork and was spinning around in her office chair when her office was lit ablaze. 

She startles, jumping up, one hand on her wand before she realizes it’s just a patronus- her wife’s patronus. A stallion. “Regina?” she mumbles. The horse rears back, galloping up to her before opening its mouth. Her wife’s scared whisper pours out of it.

“Emma, Rumple has attacked the castle. He’s in the Great Hall. All of the teachers are stunned, or missing- maybe dead. He’s got hundreds of people, Emma. And they’re gathering the students, talking about extermination and dominating the world. I’m in the trophy room next to the Great Hall but I don’t know how long I can hide. You have to send help. Hurry!” The stallion closes its mouth and whinnies, shaking its mane and running out and through the wall. 

“Shit,” Emma mumbles. She scrambles to run out and find her boss. “Potter! Potter, we have a problem!” She runs down the hallways screaming until she finds Head Auror Potter.

 

The Auror Department is efficient. Within twenty minutes of receiving the Patronus, Potter has assembled teams to take back the castle. They have only one hundred people, but they’re a crack team. Emma was just pulling her spell-resistant armour on when Potter pulls her aside.

“Swan, I can’t have you on this mission. It’s too personal for you. Your wife-” he starts lowly. Emma doesn’t let him finish.

“It wasn’t personal for you? When you, Weasley and Granger went to the castle to stop the first Dark Lord? When your friends, family, and teachers were dying and fighting and injured? It wasn’t at all personal for you?” she fires back.

“We had no choice. But your wife is in danger, and your judgment is clouded with worry. We will take care of her, but we can’t have you there. You and your team are sitting this one out. We need someone to stay here and field non-emergent calls anyway,” he says. His voice is hard and firm, but Emma squares her shoulders.

“You’re benching me to take calls from old people overreacting to gnomes in their dustbins and suspicious people walking down the street? All due respect, sir, but I’m one of your best fighters. Benching me and my team is a terrible decision.”

“Regardless, it is my final decision. We will be in the training room going over the plan, and I expect you all to be in your offices. We take off in fifteen.” Emma glares at him but turns on her heel. Her team is gathered in her office when she gets there. They all start talking at her when she walks in.

“Shut up,” she barks. They fall silent. “Potter’s benched us. Says my judgment is clouded since my wife is at the center of the attack. But I’m not going to sit here twiddling my thumbs while all those kids are in danger.” Her team murmurs their assent. “So we’re going to join the invasion, whether they like it or not. We leave in twenty minutes. Gather your things.” As they all jump to get themselves ready, Emma closes the door to her office. She drops her head into her hands, imagining the worst. Regina, injured. Regina, dead. They had been talking about starting a family, but Emma was worried about their schedules. Now they may never get the chance. Twenty minutes go by and her team is knocking on her door. She’d pulled herself together, put on her armor, and was ready to greet them.

“Let’s go take back the castle,” she tells them. They all cheer as they apparate to the grounds of Hogwarts, their shouts absorbed in the vacuum.

 

It was chaos. 

Regina could only watch, paralyzed to help as the Aurors started pouring in. As spells started flying, the older students started ushering the younger ones out and Regina’s heart warmed. Her seventh years joined in on the fighting, eager to make the dark one’s followers pay for the lives they had already destroyed. They had started taking students up to the front table; purebloods were put in one area, having been deemed worthy, while halfbloods were bound and gagged pending “purification” and muggleborns were slaughtered. Regina would never be able to stop seeing the blood of her first year Henry Nolan spilled on the stones, or the screams of the children as they were torn from their friends.

When the Aurors burst in, Rumple grabbed Regina and put up a shield around them, blocking them in a cone of silence. She couldn’t hear any of the battle, but watched it with wide eyes. She was searching for that flash of blonde hair, but couldn’t see her wife anywhere. Hopefully she wasn’t lying dead on the battlefield somewhere.

“Regina, dear, you were a naughty girl,” Rumple giggles in her ear. “Tried to end our game, didn’t you. You’re not having fun with us?” He giggles, smirking because he knows she can’t respond; he’s still got her paralyzed. “Well, don’t worry dearie. These forces can’t stop me. I’m  _ invincible _ .” With that, he apparates away, and Regina can move on her own for the first time. She breaks out, rushing to join the fray when she can finally catch a glimpse of Emma rushing in. Just as Rumple appeared next to her, grabbing her by her wand arm, forcing her to drop her wand. He disappears again and appears on top of the front table, the blood of children pooling beneath the table.

“Stop!” he shouts. Immediately, everyone freezes. Regina can feel his hold on her limbs, and wonders if he’s powerful enough to paralyze everyone like this. “We have another muggleborn here, don’t we?” He holds up Emma like a limp ragdoll, and Regina make eye contact with her. Cold tears slip down her cheeks as he picks up his dagger, still covered in the blood of his previous victims. “Muggleborn filth, the first to be sacrificed in the war for purity,” he sneers. With a grand flourish, he puts the knife to her neck.

“No!” Regina shrieks, and a blast of light erupts from her body. It washes over the entire hall, knocking people over. The Aurors recover quickly, stunning or incapacitating all of the dark one’s followers. Rumple barely stumbles, but Emma is moving now, too. She’s fighting against him disarms him. Regina smiles, coming to take the knife.

“Kneel, dark one,” she commands. He snarls, but Regina knows that holding the dagger gives her the power to command him. Shame he wanted to be symbolic and use this dagger for his sacrifices. “Don’t move a muscle.” He growls, but is forced to comply. Turning, Regina finds Potter bearing down on her. The fighting has stopped. The remaining followers are either fleeing or on the ground. She hands Potter the dagger. “Whoever holds this has the power to control him. But we can’t kill him. Whoever kills him becomes the next dark one,” she explains. He nods briskly.

“Swan, we’re going to discuss your insubordination later,” he says. She comes over to wrap her arms around her wife.

“Swan-Mills,” she corrects him. “You let me know when and where, and I’ll be there,” she promises. Regina smiles for just a moment before remembering.

“The students?” she asks around the lump in her throat.

“Those still alive were evacuated to Hogsmeade under the protection of Aberforth Dumbledore. The others…” he trails off and looked around to the pale, small bodies on the floor. Regina kneels down next to Henry Nolan, suddenly gasping for air. His eyes, always so bright and curious, are still open but empty. His skin is pale, cold. He had been such a curious, ambitious boy, a Gryffindor. He was a muggleborn, but eager to learn everything and have great adventures. And now he was dead. Regina couldn’t breathe.

“I ha-ave to tell his p-parents,” she whimpers as Emma wraps her arms around her. David and Mary Margaret were good people, muggles, but as soon as they had found out, they had been supportive. Regina had been the one to go to their house and explain everything to them. All they had wanted to know was when they could see Henry while he was at school, and ensure his safety. “I told t-them it was s-safe,” she cries out. She had assured them Hogwarts was one of the safest places for young wizards, and now their eleven year old son was dead and she had been helpless to stop it. At that point, Regina crosses some invisible line into hysterics and Emma is forced to carry her shaking, sobbing wife and apparate to St. Mungo’s where they’re taking the injured. They give her a calming concoction and she falls into a dreamless sleep.

 

Weeks go by before school starts up again. Rumplestiltskin had been dispatched to a cell in Azkaban, under the watch of the last of the dementors. His dagger sat in Harry Potter’s office. It was over, but Regina didn’t know how anyone was expected to go back there, to the place where they had watched their friends die. Students were supposed to eat meals on the same grounds where their friends had been slaughtered like animals. But when she got there, they’d reconstructed the Great Hall. It was redecorated, and no longer resembled the same room. There were seven smaller tables, one for each year instead of one for each house. House banners still hung, but they were smaller. The Hogwarts crest, integrated with each house symbol, was the primary focus. The tiling on the floor had changed, but Regina could still see the blood stains when she closed her eyes.

Emma starts sleeping in Regina’s chambers with her. Normally during the school year, Emma stays in their flat in London and Regina stays in the school. They often come visit each other, but don’t live together. Now, Regina has expanded her chambers to allow Emma to stay with her. They sell their flat, buy a cottage in Tinsworth overlooking the water. Emma was taking time off of work, instead doing desk work. She and Regina were moving forward in their plans to start a family. At the end of the school year, they hold a memorial for the students who died. Emma was six months pregnant with their son at this point.

At the memorial, they sat with Henry’s parents and Regina held their hands. That night, they’re moving their things into the cottage. It had been a somber afternoon, and they worked in silence. But Regina looked up at Emma.

“What do you think of the name Henry?” she asks quietly. Emma smiles. She knows Regina had loved that boy.

“Henry Swan-Mills,” she muses, intertwining her fingers with Regina’s. “It sounds perfect,” she smiles, kissing her wife. 


	48. Animagus (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Can you do one where Ruby is a werewolf, and like Remus Lupin, has to go to the Shrieking Shack every wolfstime, and Belle, like James Potter, becomes an animagus so they can still be together?  
> Thanks in advance!” ~Nemesischaris 
> 
> Sorry it took so long!

Ruby Lucas was a quiet first year. She was taller than the others, her features sharper and more distinct. She kept her long brown hair braided, and her big hazel eyes on the floor. Some kids laughed, made bets about what her boggart would turn into. Some said it would be her own shadow, others claimed the boggart wouldn’t be able to decide since she was probably afraid of  _ everything _ . Everyone was silent when she was sorted into Gryffindor.

“Hi,” Belle smiled when they went up to their dorm room later that night. Ruby had immediately gone to the bed in the farthest corner, next to the window.

“Hey,” she says quietly, not looking at Belle as she pulled out some of her things. She draped a red knit blanket with her name stitched into it over the bed and put a worn out stuffed wolf on the pillow. Some of the girls snicker and Ruby turns red, glancing at the older girls passing by the open door, looking at her.

“I brought my favorite blanket, too. And my teddy bear,” Belle tells her quickly. “I’ve never… been away from home before. I thought it would be nice to have something to help me remember it, feel less homesick. Eh?” Belle smiles, elbowing Ruby gently.

“I lived with my Granny… I just… It’s hard being away,” she whispers. Belle smiles, nodding.

“I know it is,” Belle agrees. “You can send her lots of letters. And visit during the holidays. And you’ll make new friends, right? Like, say, me?” Ruby rolls her eyes, smirking.

“We’re friends now?” she teases, her voice still soft. Belle just hums, hugging Ruby tight.

“We’re friends now,” she confirms after a beat. Ruby smiles and hugs Belle back, but she’s terrified. Because people like  _ her _ \- people that aren’t really people but monsters- can’t have friends. Not if they want to keep their secrets.

 

“Ruby?” Belle whispers. It was February now, and the curiosity was  _ killing _ her. Every month, like clockwork, Ruby would sneak out of the dorm just after everyone went to bed. She took her red cloak, and disappeared. Belle was trying to be respectful of Ruby’s privacy, and tried to ask her once but Ruby clammed up and Belle let it rest. But she’s noticed a pattern to when Ruby leaves: full moons.

Every month on the full moon, Ruby sneaks out. Belle’s not an idiot; she knows what that means. But she doesn’t understand why Ruby would feel like she has to hide that! Belle started dropping hints about being best friends and acceptance, but Ruby didn’t seem to get it. She clearly needed to prove it to the stubborn brunette. So, she got out of bed, pulled on a sweater and her slippers, and ran out to follow her. She had watched where Ruby went outside the castle last week and caught her slipping into a secret tunnel under the whomping willow.

It was just starting to rain when Belle managed to get the long branch to touch just the right spot. The branches froze, and it was very difficult for her to keep it there while she climbed into the tunnel. It was low, but she was short so it all worked out pretty well for her. She started to regret her decision the longer she walked; it really was cold, and dark and she wanted to be in bed asleep, and she heard these  _ awful _ sounds at the end of the tunnel. It crossed her mind that those sounds were the sounds of Ruby in pain, and Belle started sprinting.

She got to the end of the tunnel and into the living room of the shrieking shack to find a wolf sitting on the floor, howling.

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

“Belle, what have you  _ done _ ?” Ruby laughs. Sitting in front of her is a white and gray husky. It’s got Belle’s big blue eyes, thick gray and white patched fur. Her tongue lolls out and she barks happily at Ruby. “How long were you working on this?” She blinks and the dog in front of her changes into her best friend, Belle. The eyes stayed the same but she became a girl again, short and petite with thick brown curls.

“Just a few months. I’ve been working with McGonagall ever since I passed the fourth year exam,” Belle shrugged, grinning shyly.

“So you’ve been working on becoming an animagus  _ and _ trying to prepare for your OWLs? Why?” Ruby ducks her head shyly, and Belle is reminded of Ruby in their first year. She had been shy and quiet, never initiating conversation. She pushed everyone away, too quiet and scared to make any real friends. Except for Belle.

“You know why,” Belle smiles gently, nudging Ruby. “You won’t let me hang out with you during your, er,  _ time of the month _ ,” she whispers, looking around. This section of the library is always abandoned but Ruby is terrified people will overhear. “But this way, I can! You won’t hurt me like this.” She lowers her voice, stepping closer to whisper in Ruby’s ear. “And I know your wolf gets lonely. I can hear her howling.”

“Belle,” Ruby whimpers.

“No, now I can come out with you, and we can run around, and- and- and it’ll be  _ great _ !” Belle interrupts.

“You did this for me?” Ruby’s voice is small, her cheeks are red.

“Of course I did,” Belle smiles, one hand running over Ruby’s jaw, behind her ear and finally resting on the back of her neck. She pulls Ruby close, resting her forehead against her. She pauses, then whispers, “You’re my best friend.” She pulls her bottom lip in between her teeth and looks at Ruby’s lips for just a second. “I love you, Rubes.” Ruby grins, her cheeks turning red.

“You do?” Belle nods.

“I do.” Ruby leans in, kisses Belle quickly before pulling away.

“I love you, Belle.” Belle leans in to kiss her again, properly this time. They pull away a few minutes later when air becomes an issue.

“It’s a full moon tomorrow, right?” Belle pants. Ruby nods, beaming. Her cheeks are red and her hair is mussed from where Belle’s hands had become tangled in it. “It’ll be fun.”

“Thank you… For doing that for me. It means a lot,” Ruby whispers. She looks away, embarrassed. “You know… I was turned when I was a kid… Granny said it was my mom. She came back a few years after she abandoned me and turned me. After that… I couldn’t make a lot of friends. When the kids in my village found out, when I was maybe seven… It got so bad we had to move away. No one wanted me to be around their kids… But when you found out first year, you stuck by me, and- and- and I’ll never be able to show you just how much that means to me. But- but, Belle? Thank you… for this, and for- um, for everything.” Ruby didn’t make eye contact through most of her speech, and Belle was glad. Ruby wouldn’t have been able to finish if she saw Belle crying. Ruby only looked up when she had finished and Belle put her hand on her chin.

“Wolves couldn’t drag me away from you… Or scare me away,” she teases gently. Belle kisses Ruby once more, and she can taste the salt of her tears on Ruby’s mouth before she pulls away. “Let’s go finish that transfiguration assignment.” They leave the library holding hands, grinning wildly at each other.


	49. Three's A Crowd (Captain Swan & Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ooh could you do a love triangle between Emma Regina and Killian and obviously it's a SwanQueen story but have it start out CaptainSwan being together and it can be their 6th year or something your choice. Have Emma in Gryffindor Regina in Ravenclaw and Killian in hufflepuff and Emma and Regina being best friends since their first year. With Regina being secretly in love with Emma since their first meeting on the train. And then having Emma and Killian together in their third year and they are all on the their house quidditch teams and Regina throughout the entire relationship tell Emma that he isn't right for her and then have Emma finally have enough and question her and then have Regina tell her the real reason and the rest is up to you cause I have nothing left. Lol. But still amazing as always” ~DiannePerry

Emma didn’t know when her life turned into a soap opera.

She was a sixth year, and the beater for the Hufflepuff quidditch team. She was taking all of her NEWT classes. She had a great boyfriend, Killian Jones. They had started dating in fourth year after one of her bludgers hit him in the head during the last match of the year. She had felt bad for the Slytherin keeper and went to visit him. Eventually, they struck up a friendship and started dating shortly thereafter.

But that’s not why her life is a soap opera. Her life is a soap opera because she realized at the start of term that she was also hopelessly in love with her best friend, Ravenclaw seeker Regina Mills. She loves her. Like, really, really loves her. When Regina shows up in a room, Emma can feel her heartbeat get faster. When Regina makes eye contact with her, or holds her hand while they walk through the halls or kisses her cheek when they say goodbye, her cheeks turn pink and her stomach flips. She loves Regina. But she still loves Killian.

So, she’s become a walking soap opera. In love with her best friend. And loving her boyfriend. Emma just has to… learn to accept that or do something to change it.

 

“Mom’s right,” Regina sighs. Her sister Zelena raises an eyebrow. In all sixteen years of her life, Regina has  _ never _ admitted that her mother was right. Zelena rises up on her elbow and Regina smiles at the way the light in the room seems to turn her skin green. She hates hanging out in the Slytherin common room, but Zelena was studying for her NEWTs and didn’t want to leave.

“Who are you? And what have you done with my sister?” Zelena scoffs. She closes her charms textbook and sits up, gesturing to the chair across from her. Regina sits, frowning and crossing her arms over her chest.

“I’m pathetic. Just like she said,” Regina whispers. She closes her eyes and Zelena’s face softens.

“Sis… She said that when she was angry,” Zelena reminds her. It had happened the night before the girls returned to school. Regina was worried about… everything. Failing her exams. Disgracing the family name. And when she was in a panic, crying about how she was going to ruin everything, she accidentally told her mother she was a raging lesbian. Thus, disgracing the family name. Cora had been silent for a moment before spitting at her, calling her a pathetic disgrace. “She was… in shock. You realize what a bomb you dropped?”

“I know!” Regina sighs. “I know, and I know she apologized in a letter and she came to visit and apologize again. I know she’s trying to be better. But I  _ am _ pathetic. Because I’ve been hopelessly in love with my best friend for years, and I can’t tell her.” She puts her head in her hands. “I’m pathetic.”

“I knew you were in love with the Swan girl, but years? Come on, Gina. When?” Zelena raises an eyebrow. She had been the first person to realize that her baby sister had feelings for the shy, courageous little Hufflepuff girl when Regina was 13.

“I saw her on the train first year, and-”

“Since you were eleven?!” Zelena interrupts. “That is a bit pathetic, sis.” She smiles and nudges her little sister to let her know she’s kidding.

“I know… But what can I do about it? She’s been dating Captain Guyliner for so long now,” she mourns.

“Suck it up! You’re a Mills! You want your girl? Go get her! Stop with the passive aggressive comments and the hating of her boyfriend. Just walk up to her, plant one on her, and tell her you love her. Problem solved!” Regina scoffs.

“What if she doesn’t like me back?”

“Then you know, and you can move on. But living in limbo like this? It’s so bad for you, darling.” Regina huffs quietly before hugging her sister.

“Thanks Z.  I guess I can try that,” she sighs as she leaves.

“Love you, Regina,” she calls after her sister. As she hears the portrait shut, she can hear Regina return the sentiment.

 

“Emma, do you love Killian?” Regina asks one quiet evening. It had taken her a while to work up the courage to bring this up, even after Zelena’s pep talk. Regina had waited until their monthly sleepover to ask; once a month, the girls would stay over the other’s dormitory, always on a Saturday night, always careful to avoid detection. Tonight, they were hunkered down in the Hufflepuff dormitories. Emma’s housemates were much less likely to snitch so long as Regina didn’t break any serious rules or bother anyone, so all they had to do was draw the curtains around Emma’s bed and the others pretended not to notice them. Emma sighed and picked at a loose thread on her bedspread before turning on her side to face Regina. Due to their close quarters, there was practically no personal space.

“Why?” she asks.

“I just… He’s not the right person for you. I don’t think he is. He’s… self-centered, and rude. You’re… You haven’t been you since you started dating him,” Regina replies quietly. Emma bites her lower lip and traces a pattern on the back of Regina’s hand.

“He makes me happy.”

“Does he?” Regina whispers back, raising an accusatory eyebrow. “Your opinions have changed since you’ve been with him. When someone asks a question, your eyes flick to him, watching his response before you say anything. You used to love to eat pastries, but he once made a comment about your eating habits, and now you won’t touch a dessert. I just… He’s not the right person for you.”

“Why do you care?” Emma huffs angrily. She loved Killian. Didn’t she? They’d been together for so long. Of course they’d have similar opinions. Of course she’d care what he thought of her appearance. So what if she stopped eating desserts? It was healthier that way anyway, right?

“Because,” Regina answered. “He’s just not right for you, and I think… I think you deserve someone who is right for you.”

“Why do you hate him so much? You always say he’s not good enough for me. But he loves me! Isn’t that good enough?” Emma’s angry now, lashing out. Regina shifts, looking at a point just over Emma’s shoulder as she tries to breathe deeply. “If he’s not right for me, who is?” Emma grunts.

_ Me _ , Regina thinks. That’s where this should be going, but she’s a coward. No wonder she wasn’t a Gryffindor.

“You?” Emma breathes.  _ Shit _ , Regina thinks. She really needed to work on her verbal control.

“Yeah, me,” Regina replies, still not looking at Emma. She rolls onto her back so she can stare up towards the ceiling, counting the dust particles floating through the sky. “I may not… be the captain of my house Quidditch team like him. I may not be this cool, dark Slytherin. I’m a dork, I know that. And, and… he definitely knows more about makeup and eyeliner than I do.” Emma snorts, which Regina thinks is a good sign. “But I love you. All of you. I love how… you wanted to help the house elves clean because you didn’t think their wages were fair. I love how you always help the first years when they’re lonely and scared. I love how your eyes used to light up whenever you talked about Quidditch, and the passion you had, the drive to win. I even love how you sometimes oversleep and forget to meet me for our study sessions because your afternoon naps went on too long. I even love you when you push me away because you’re afraid. I love all of you, Emma. Not just the parts that are easy to love. And I think he only loves the easy parts. You deserve someone who loves all of you.” Regina holds her breath, waiting for Emma to respond.

“And… I deserve you?” Emma asks quietly. 

“No, not… That’s not what I mean. You deserve someone better than him. Someone who makes loving as easy as breathing. And that’s not him. I don’t… Ha, I don’t think  _ I _ could ever do anything good enough to deserve  _ you _ , but… that’s… not… the point,” Regina trails off nervously. She shifts, turning on her side to face Emma. She finds the blonde’s face screwed up in concentration, thinking hard on something.

“I love you, too,” Emma whispers. She looks at Regina, and there’s an unquantifiable light in her eyes. She looks… lighter. Like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders. “I’m  _ in _ love with you.”

“I’ve been in love with you for… a while,” Regina admits. She leans in, pecking Emma’s lips softly. It has the potential to turn into more, but someone interrupts them.

“Yeah, yeah. Killian’s a dick and you two have loved each other for years. Get married already and let us sleep. It’s two in the bloody morning,” one of her housemates calls out. They break apart with a giggle.

“Oops,” Regina mouths. Emma smiles, snuggling into Regina.

“We’ll talk more in the morning,” she whispers into Regina’s neck. She can feel Regina nod as they close their eyes and fall into an easy, dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PSA: I am starting my freshmen year of college this week so my life is about to get a little crazy while I adjust. It will probably take me a little longer to update and I'll have a more erratic schedule. I am still working on things, and I'll try to keep updating as regularly as possible but there's only so much I can do. Thanks for reading!


	50. Some Wounds Can't Heal (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Established SQ. Healer Regina is devastated when Auror Emma is carted into St. Mungo's for a devastating injury... is it life threatening? Does she live?” ~Umbrella_ella

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so I just realized I've had this since June! So sorry it took so long! Enjoy

“Healer Mills to emergency. Healer Mills to emergency.” Regina looks up from the potions cabinet, not even bothering to shut the doors properly as she takes off, tearing down the halls. She shouts for people to make a path as her feet slap against the white tiles of St. Mungo’s. The only times she’s paged to emergency nowadays is when her  _ idiot _ wife Emma- who insisted on being an Auror which is easily the most dangerous career- had gotten hurt on the job. 

“What’s happened?” Regina asks as she skids around the corner. She stops immediately, seeing the stretcher carrying her wife. Her blond hair was astray, falling off the sides and around her head like a halo. Her clothes have mostly been cut away to reveal deep gashes, still bleeding profusely, and terrible burns. The smell of singed flesh permeates the room. Regina can barely see any of her wife’s pale, freckled skin. Everything is covered in blood.

“Regina!” Ruby shouts from another stretcher- she is less bloodied, but looks sickly pale from blood loss and pain. Emma’s partner is much younger, barely five years out of Hogwarts, but Emma says she’s a quick study. The lanky girl has often met Regina in waiting rooms.

“Ruby, what happened?” Regina croaks breathlessly. She can’t take her eyes off of Emma, begging for a glimpse but knowing to let the other healers work their magic (later on, she’ll roll her eyes at the pun but can’t spare the energy right now).

“Ah- fuck, don’t do that!” the younger girl cries as the healers try to work on her. “Rounding up some old Death Eaters torturing muggles. Reports said it was only one or two but we got there and all of a sudden there were ten. Trap- ah! Ouch, damnit!”

“Ruby, you have to let them heal you,” Regina reminds her impatiently. None of Emma’s healers are talking to Regina, and she knows what that means; they don’t have a moment to spare to reassure loved ones as they work to save her. “What spells were they using?”

“Mostly nonverbals, but- fuck! Could you at least be gentle or, like, warn a girl?” she says sharply. “Anyway, um, some of them sounded like they created them. Like the burn one was weird. I don’t remem-  _ ouch _ . I don’t know exactly what they were. Regina, you have to get an owl to Belle. Please, you know how she worries.” Regina nods, conjuring the materials. She steps away from Emma’s bed for just a moment to compose a letter to Ruby’s younger girlfriend Belle. The younger brunette, who aims to be the Hogwarts librarian and is studying at university right now, has also become quite close with Regina while they wait in the lobby for their loved ones.

“Mills,” one of the healers barks just after Regina’s handed it to a volunteer to send. Her boss, Healer Picard was waving her over. The older woman’s face softens as she comes over.

“What’s wrong?” She can see Picard taking a deep breath- the same way she does when she’s trying to figure out how to break bad news to a family. “Give it to me straight. You know I can handle it.” Even as she says it, Regina’s chin quivers.

“It’s bad,” Picard says bluntly. “She’s lost her entire blood volume and we’re giving her all of these blood replenishing potions but we can’t seem to stop the bleeding. Our curse breakers are working on determining the exact spells used, and then we can close the wounds. We healed most of the burns, but only to an extent. We can’t get all of the scarring away. Her body is struggling to even keep going right now. She’s got internal damage, too. It’s just… It’s not good.”

“But… we’re healers,” Regina croaks. Her voice breaks, and she can feel herself starting to shake.

“Regina,” Picard says gently. She puts a hand on Regina’s shoulder. “There are some wounds even magic can’t heal. We’re going to keep doing everything we can.” Regina stands stock still as Picard excuses herself to give her privacy. She’s completely zoned out, just a few feet from where the healers are still working on Emma.

“ _ More blood replenishing potions,” _ one of them shouts. Regina just crumples to the floor, her legs unable to hold her up anymore.

“Regina!” Belle shouts, rushing over. She had just apparated into the lobby in time to see Regina hit the floor. When she finds her shaking on the floor, Belle helps her up. “What’s wrong? What’s happened? Where’s Ruby?”  _ Ruby _ , Regina thinks.  _ Ruby was there _ .

“Death Eaters. Trap. Where’s Ruby?” she mumbles, running down the hall to find Ruby laid up in a bed, only one healer there to dress her recently healed wounds. She’s holding ice to her head and Belle runs over to kiss her. Regina gives them a moment to hold each other before walking over.

“You were there,” Regina whispers hoarsely. 

“What?” Ruby asks. Belle sits down in the chair next to the bed, holding Ruby’s hand.

“You were there,” Regina repeats. “I need to know what spells they used. Emma’s… Emma’s in trouble. They can’t get the wounds to close. What spells were they using?” She’s frantic now. She can’t lose Emma. Ruby needs to remember.

“Um… Uh… Crucio vulnus incuratus? I think? Sectumsempra definitely,” she stutters nervously. Her face pales as Regina tells her Emma’s in trouble. Regina doesn’t even wait for her to finish speaking before sprinting back to her wife’s room to relay the information. She only hopes she gets there before they run out of time.

 

“Emma,” Regina whimpers, her head on her wife’s chest. “Oh, Emma!” she sobs. “I thought I lost you.” Her wife just strokes her hair weakly.

“Can’t get rid of me,” she croaks. Even with the blood replenishing potions and other healing potions, she’s exhausted. They replaced her entire blood volume seven times before Regina helped them close the incisions. They have to heal the burns in stages, cleaning and slathering each one in ointment before they can heal it again. Emma just wants to sleep, but she knows she has to hold Regina, reassure her for a while.

“Don’t,” Regina warns. “Don’t joke. I can’t lose you, Emma. Please, I just… I need you. Please,” she begs. 

“Regina… This is my job. It’s my… It gives me purpose,” Emma whispers. She knows what Regina wants, but she doesn’t think she can just quit.

“Please, find another purpose. Because I don’t think I can do this anymore. I can’t go through this, thinking I’ve lost you, this is finally the time they can’t heal your wounds. Please, Emma. Find a purpose… in… in this,” she begs, taking Emma’s hand and putting it on her belly. She’d planned a more romantic, sweet way to tell Emma that their treatments had worked and she was finally pregnant. But here they are, desperate and wide-eyed.

“Are you…?” Emma trails off, swallowing thickly. Regina nods.

“Don’t leave our baby alone. Don’t leave me alone. Find purpose in him… or her.” They sit there in silence for a moment, Emma’s hand still on her belly. She’s trying to wrap her mind around the idea that inside of her wife’s belly, there is a tiny human growing. She isn’t sure she could stop being an Auror, stop protecting people just to sate Regina. But now… this changes everything. And it changes nothing.

She wants to be an Auror-  _ needs _ to be an Auror. She wants the world to be safe, especially now that she is bringing a child into it. How could Emma sleep at night knowing she couldn’t help keep her child safe? But, she understands Regina’s concern. How would Regina feel raising a child on her own, explaining to him or her how their other mommy wasn’t there because she died fighting off villains instead of raising her child. Either way, Emma lost something. 

“I bet it’s a boy,” Emma chokes out after a moment. “It’ll be hard, but… I’ll talk to Potter about changing my career path.” Regina beams.

“Only if you can live with yourself doing it,” Regina adds solemnly. “I don’t want you to wake up in ten years and hate me because I made you quit.”

“Pfft, like you can make me do anything,” Emma jokes. “Besides, I could never hate you.” She turns to face her wife’ belly. “Or you, little jelly bean.” Regina smiles. She really hopes this is the last time Emma has to come into the emergency room like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am still on my hiatus, guys. Just wanted to give you a little something whenever I can. I love that you guys send prompts but first semester is already kicking my ass, so if you could hold onto them for a little bit? I'll let you know when I'm accepting prompts again. THanks! Love you all!


	51. Partner (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Regina and Emma are aurors who are partnered together. They butt heads a lot, but their dynamic works. However when Regina has to go undercover Emma gets a temporary partner who makes her realize she misses Regina. It's a few days late they find out Regina's been compromised and Emma wants to help save her, but head Auror Potter knows Emma's too emotionally involved so orders her to stay back. Of course she doesn't listen and takes things into her own hands.” ~DisturbingVision

It was no secret that Aurors Emma Swan and Regina Mills butted heads. Where Mills was by-the-book, Swan was impulsive. Where Swan played bad cop in suspect interrogations, Mills was always the good cop. Where Mills was soft and understanding, Swan was cold and unforgiving. They bickered like children all the time over rules and takedown procedures, but no one could deny that they worked well together. They had the best arrest record of all the Aurors. 

They weren’t friends, but when Mills went undercover to try and bust up an underground muggle torturing ring and Swan was stuck with a temp partner named Nolan (who everyone called him Charming- Emma disagreed because he was more annoying than charming) she realized she actually missed her pain in the ass partner.

 

“Damnit!” Potter swore. He was walking through the Auror’s offices, glancing through his message logs when he suddenly stopped.

“What’s up, boss?” someone calls out.

“Mills sent a patronus. She’s been compromised, in danger. We need to do an emergency extraction. Uh, Wilson, Lucas, get a group together. We gotta move fast.” Harry ran through towards his office to get his own gear ready.

“Wait, Potter!” Emma shouted. She followed him into her office. “Put me on the team. Extraction.”

“No,” he said bluntly. He wasn’t even looking at her.

“What? Why? Mills is my partner, and I’m damn good at extractions and hostage situations. You need me,” Emma argues.

“No. You’re emotionally involved.”

“What? No I’m not.” Emma scoffs, putting her hands on her hips. “You need me!”

“I can find someone else. Look, Swan. I’m not judging but you and Mills are more than partners in the office. I don’t know what it is, but you two care for each other. And I can’t have that when we’re heading into a dangerous situation. I don’t have time for this. Stay here, that’s an order,” he barks as he jogs out to the main office. 

“Like hell,” she murmurs. Running back to her office, she puts her armor on and puts a disillusionment charm on herself to sneak back into the main room where Potter is debriefing the extraction team. As they start to apparate, Emma grabs onto someone’s arm, letting them pull her into nowhere.

 

“Who are you working for? Do they know where you are?” Regina couldn’t remember his name. She could barely remember her own name. They had been torturing her for hours. Days. Years, for all she knew. It wouldn’t stop. But she couldn’t give up. She had sent Potter the distress signal. He would come for her. He had to.

“I… I w-won’t tell you anything,” she coughs weakly. She can see blood on the ground in front of her, feel it on her chin.

“ _ Talk _ ,” one of them hisses, kicking her in the ribs. She cries out, and the chains they’ve got her in yank at her wrists.

“No!” she protests. Someone hits her with a curse. It burns, like a thousand white hot knives all stabbing her, endlessly. Heat and stinging and pain. Forever. It doesn’t stop. Until it does.

“Hey!” Someone shouts. Regina can barely keep her eyes open.

“It’s an ambush! Kill the muggles! Use Mills as a sh- ahhh!” The voice is cut off, but Regina is too tired to close her eyes. Someone yanks her up, holds a knife to her throat. She barely has the energy to spit out the blood in her mouth.

“Stop!” Someone shouted. She opens her eyes wearily to see Potter and some other aurors in the room with her, all engaged in duels with the wizards she’d been investigating her. A few lay tied up on the round or in restraints. One is unconscious. Regina can’t bring herself to care about them.

“Let her go,” Potter declared boldly.

“You guarantee my safe escape and she’s all yours,” the man holding her up sneers. Regina wishes she had the energy to elbow him in the stomach, but she can’t even keep her eyes open.

“We can talk about that,” Potter promises. “Once she’s gotten medical care. She’s no good to anyone dead.” The man behind her seems to think for a moment before there’s a yelp and he lets go of Regina. She free falls through the air before hands catch her.

“What the hell?” Potter mumbles. Regina opens her eyes, glancing back to see nothing. She’s being held up by the air itself, except it feels like warm, soft hands. Suddenly, Emma appears in front of her.

“Disillusionment charm,” she explains quietly. The fighting with the remaining criminals resumes and Emma cradles Regina to her chest carefully. “Let’s get you some help, okay?” Holding her tight, Emma disapparates. Somewhere along the way, Regina passes out.

 

“You could’ve gotten yourself killed like that,” Potter scolds. Once he had gotten the gang to the prison cells for trial, he had come to St. Mungo’s to find the healers repairing internal damage on Regina. Emma was waiting in the lobby where he was now reprimanding her. “None of us even knew you were there!”

“I’m sorry for disobeying, sir, but I couldn’t just sit there,” she replies. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Regina’s healer coming back out.

“She’s awake. Feeling much better,” she informs them. Emma looks back at Harry.

“Go, Swan. Good job on the save, but we’re not done talking about this,” he says sternly.

“Yes, sir! Thanks!” she shouts as she jogs toward Regina’s room to find her partner sitting up in bed, arguing with a healer.

“Mills,” Emma grins. “Leave the poor kid alone, let him do his job. And budge up, make space. I have to tell you all about my temp partner, David Nolan?” Regina eagerly moves aside on the bed, letting Emma come up so they can talk. 

“Is that the one they call Charming?” she asks, her voice hoarse. Emma nods, rolling her eyes.

“He’s more irritating than anything else. So… noble and gross.” Emma wrinkles her nose and Regina laughs. As they sit there, talking and laughing, they realize how much they missed each other. So, maybe they butted heads a lot. Maybe they had different approaches to their line of work. But no matter what, they had each other’s backs, and they protected each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to remind y'all that I am alive and well and still writing (slowly but surely). Also, a reminder: while I love that you guys have prompts for me and want to read my writing, I am drowning in schoolwork and prompts that have already been submitted. So if you have a prompt you'd really like to see, hold onto it for a while!


	52. The Woman Who Killed (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Emma Swan was a name everyone knew. She was best known for taking down all the death eaters after Harry's untimely demise at the wand of a death eater. There had been an ambush and the head Auror had sacrificed to save the life of his sons and wife. That's where Emma Swan picked up the work he'd been doing. She and Harry had been friends while working at the ministry. Not to the extent of the Golden Trio's though, but close. She worked to take every last one down and with each one her name made the front page of every important paper in the wizarding world. Then one day after it was all done she simply vanished. Reporters had tried to ask Ginny, Harry's late wife as well as his friends and co-workers where Emma may have gone, but if they even knew they weren't telling. In the muggle world though Emma Swan was thriving as a normal person. No body knew who she was in this world separated from magic. She didn't think life could get any better. Enter Regina Mills, a muggle (not really a muggle) reporter Emma had accidentally bumped into.” ~DisturbingVision

Everyone knew he was the boy who lived. But every boy who lives must eventually become a man who dies. Harry Potter died tragically young, only 29 years old. He had been walking in the market with his wife, sons James and Albus (6 and 4, respectively) and daughter Lily (only 2). Suddenly, they were ambushed on all sides by witches and wizards in Death Eater masks. Harry had been leading the Auror department in trying to round up the last of the Death Eaters, most of whom had gone underground after the fall of Voldemort.

It wasn’t much of a fight, and in the end, Harry had spent all of his energy on keeping his wife and children safe until help arrived. His last act was to sacrifice himself, the energy and power of his sacrifice saving his family in the same way his mother’s sacrifice protected him. Albus and Lily were young enough to forget but James could never forget the sound of his mother screaming.

The whole wizarding world mourned the loss of the great Harry Potter, but no one mourned the loss in the same way that Emma Swan did. 

She and Harry had become friends through the Auror business. They had been the same age but Emma had studied in America, moving to the UK to become a better Auror. She had been with Harry ever since he joined the Aurors. They trained together, and were made partners on the force. Emma’s friendship with Harry could never rival the Golden Trio, but the pair had become close. When he died, she did not cry. She did not wail, or miss work. Emma Swan mourned the boy who lived by becoming the woman who killed.

Emma Swan was a woman on a mission. She revitalized the Auror department in the loss of their star, the man who was rumored to become the youngest Head Auror in history, by leading. She led the Aurors on a manhunt, making it her personal mission to find and punish every single Death Eater. Emma led the department on a hundred different operations, most of which ended in death for the death eaters rather than incarceration. There were whispers among the department that Auror Swan created dangerous situations purposefully so that she could execute the criminals herself. It caused quite a controversy, but Emma paid it no mind.

Eventually, she ran out of targets. Bodies piled up and the remaining Death Eaters were all either dead, or in Azkaban. And the woman who killed disappeared. She left the office one night and never returned. She didn’t pack up her things, never came back for them. When they went to her apartment, they found it empty. Even with all the best trackers, no one could find her. Reporters hounded the newly widowed Ginny Weasley-Potter for information, followed her and the remaining members of the Golden Trio, hoping to find some trace of Emma. But there was nothing to be found. Auror Emma Swan, the woman who killed, was gone.

Meanwhile, in a small muggle town in Northern Maine, Emma Schwan the new town Sheriff was thriving.

 

“Morning, Sheriff,” the Mayor calls out. Emma grinned, waving as she left the small diner. She had been here for just over a year and had finally settled into life here. Every morning, she stopped at Granny’s Diner to get a bearclaw and a coffee before her shift. She drove around, occasionally picked up truant kids or drug dealers or drunks to spend a few hours in the cells (barring the kids, who were taken to school). For lunch, she went to Granny’s again for a grilled cheese and onion rings before heading back to the station where she did her paperwork (and played a lot of darts). Emma Schwan was living magic free and she loved it. Life could not get any better.

It was a typical morning for her. Except she bought an extra coffee and a bearclaw. “Hungry this morning, Sheriff?” the waitress Ruby had asked. Emma grinned at the young woman who had become her best friend in town.

“Always hungry, Rubes,” she winks. Emma took her food and drinks with her on patrol, making a stop out on the pier. Checking to make sure no one is around, she pours the coffee into the water before tossing the bear claw into the waves. “Happy Birthday, Harry. You were my best friend, man. And I know I wasn’t yours, but we were good together. And I should have been there. I should have saved you, and I’m so sorry I didn’t. We miss you here, buddy. Hope you found your parents over there. Um, so, like… Happy Birthday? I already said that. Um… Well, I imagine you know I already got all those bastards. But, uh… I’m happy here. And I hope you’re happy wherever you are. I gotta go. Um, rest in peace, dude.” Emma rubs the back of her neck awkwardly. She lets out a shaky breath before turning on her heel and running back to the sheriff’s cruiser. As she drove away, another figure was driving into town, and she would shake everything up.

 

“Hey, Sheriff, ya gotta meet this woman,” David grinned, waving her over. He was one of the deputie in the town, and also ran the animal shelter. Emma, who was just about to leave this bar and go home for the night, groaned internally. Ever since she let slip that she was gay, David kept trying to introduce her to girls at the bar but no one wanted to go home with the Sheriff (except for a few kinky girls, which Emma didn’t really mind). But when she turned around to see them, she had to remember how to breathe.

This woman was beautiful. Probably about Emma’s height, but the strappy black heels she wore definitely gave her a small height advantage. She looked Latina, all caramel skin, mesmerizing dark eyes and wavy brown hair. Her lips were lined in a deep shade of red, one end of which was quirked up in a smirk. Emma wonders where the hell David found this one, but damn she could be a keeper.

“Oh yeah? Says who?” Emma grins cheekily. 

 

“This is Regina Mills. She’s a travel journalist, interviewing about life in Storybrooke,” David says with a pointed look. Emma blushes, realizing her mistake.

“Um, hi. Sorry, um, I didn’t realize… I thought…”

“Quite alright, Sheriff Schwan. It’s an easy mistake. We are, after all, in a bar. I’m looking for a story about small towns in Maine. I thought that maybe I could find it here. With you.” Emma grins.

“Well, Regina Mills, ask me all the questions you want. I’m an open book.”

“I might just take you up on that, sheriff,” Regina murmurs, resting her chin in her hand. And while Emma smiled, taking a sip of her drink, a part of her was worried. Because Regina Mills looked like a person who could smell a lie a mile away and Emma had a feeling that she never gave up.

 

Lo and behold, Emma was right.

She had a nice, long conversation with Miss Mills about the crime scene in Storybrooke (or lack thereof) and Emma’s job. They talked about some of the people Emma knew, and the nightlife. But eventually, Emma had to retire so she could get up for her shift the next morning. Regina had smiled, given Emma her card, and made vague plans to “chat more later.” Emma dreaded that meeting.

 

They met again at the diner the next morning while Emma was grabbing her coffee.

“Ah, Miss Schwan, I was hoping we could speak some more. You gave me a good idea about the town, but you only just arrived here over a year ago. I’d like to speak more about you. Do you have time?” she calls, crossing the diner.

“Um, I’m about to go on patrol at work,” Emma hedges, taking her coffee. Ruby winks, tossing her the donut.

“Could I come along?” Regina smiles sweetly and Emma knows she won’t be able to keep away from her for long. Sighing, she offered Regina a tight smile.

“Alright, I suppose we can do that for a little while. Not like I’ve got a lot to worry about in Storybrooke,” she chuckles to herself.

“What, no big crime rings to bust? Murderers to catch?” Regina teases.

“Truant kids to bring to school? A drunk to bust? Petty drug deals to stop? The worst I’ve ever seen is a domestic violence charge.” She begins to walk as she talks and Regina follows quickly. Emma finds that she dresses just as sharply for the daytime as she did for the bar last night.

“Get a lot of DV vics?” Regina asks.

“Not a lot, but it’s always tough when we do. Is this what you wanted to interview me about?” It’s comfortable, walking together like this.

“No. I thought we’d ease into it. Maybe save it for once you’ve started driving.” They’re arriving at the sheriff’s station now and Emma clocks in, relieving the poor sucker who got stuck with night duty.

“She need to fill out a report or something?” the deputy asks under his breath, gesturing at Regina. Emma shakes her head.

“Travel reporter,” Emma whispers. He just nods, gathering his things and going home. “So, we just have to wait for Charlie Jenkins. She’s on desk duty while I’m patrolling.”

“Her name’s Charlie? She your friend?” Regina perches herself on the edge of Emma’s desk in the sheriff’s office while Emma sits in the chair. Raising an eyebrow, she smirks.

“Yeah. I mean, Charlie’s her nickname but she’s my friend, I guess. She’s been working here since before I came here, but she’s been cool.”

“Any tension about you getting the sheriff’s position over her? As a new resident?”

“Oh, no. They only hired me because Charlie wasn’t interested. She and her wife have two kids under three and didn’t have the time,” Emma sighs. She can hear Charlie’s boots on the floor.

“Hey, Emma,” the woman smiles. “Can I help you, ma’am?” she asks Regina. 

“I’ve got her, Charlie. Taking her on a ridealong. She’s a journalist.” After a few exchanged pleasantries and some comments about work, Emma grabs her gun belt and pulls it on, taking the keys from the cabinet. Regina doesn’t say much until they’re driving along Main Street.

“You always carry a gun?” she finally asks.

“When I’m on duty. At home, it stays in my safe.”

“Do the cuffs go in the safe, too?” There’s a teasing lilt in her tone and Emma rolls her eyes with a huff. “Alright, alright. You mind if I record the interview? Makes it easier to get quotes for the stories later.”

“That’s fine,” Emma smiles, glancing over to find Regina thumbing at her smartphone. It seems to be giving her trouble. She keeps tapping on the icon, but it opens different apps. “Not a tech person?” Emma teases.

“Technology hates me,” Regina admits with a wince. Finally she gets the recorder going. “Okay, so, tell me about yourself, Emma Schwan.” It’s easy for Emma to stick to the truth here. She spent her childhood in foster care, bouncing from home to home until she got landed in a boarding school until she graduated. She went to England for a few years to work in law enforcement, but moved back when the big city crime was too much for her. All Emma had to do was tell her life story, minus the magic. Regina seems receptive to this story, but keeps asking questions.

“So, why Storybrooke?” Emma shrugs. “Emma, it had to be something. Why this town? Why Maine? You had all of the world. All of Europe, but something drew you here. What was it?” Regina persists. In truth, Emma was just looking for an all-muggle town. Completely free of magic. An escape from a world where everyone knew her and what she’d done. Emma was trying to figure out a way to spin that half-truth when suddenly, their car was struck from behind.

“Oh, what the hell,” Emma groans. She hates taking the cruiser to get repaired.

“Who the hell hits a police car?” Regina murmurs, holding her head.

“You okay?” Emma asks. She nods. Unclipping her seatbelt, she orders Regina, “stay here. I’m gonna go see what happened.” She barely gets out the door before there is a body blocking her, hold her down. She can’t move enough to her gun, and she’s far too out of practice to try and summon it nonverbally without her wand. Her attacker is tall and muscled, but a black ski mask covers his face. All she can see are his blue eyes and tanned hands. She tries to kick and he lifts her by her throat. 

“Hey sheriff. Let’s have some fun,” he grunts. She can see someone else going to the other side of the car, making to grab Regina. Emma tries to fight, but is struggling with so little oxygen. She can feel his thumbs pressing down on her windpipe and the edges of her vision are starting to go black. There’s an explosion, and suddenly his hands are off of her. “What the fuck?” he shouts. Emma is coughing, dizzy and tired, but she notices Regina standing, pointing a stick at the man on the ground. But no, not a stick. A  _ wand. _

Emma is on the ground now, trying to get air into her lungs but she can see ropes appearing out of nowhere, binding the man on the ground. She turns to find the other man struggling in ropes. And then unconscious as another flash of light hits him. There’s footsteps and then Regina is kneeling on the ground next to Emma. She murmurs, “anapneo” and Emma can breathe easier.

“You’re a witch,” Emma pants. Regina nods guiltily. “And you know who I am?” She nods again. “So all this… was a lie?”

“I just… I read so many stories about you. And how you disappeared. And I just… People were saying such terrible things about you. That you purposely put people in danger so you could kill the Death Eaters instead of putting them in prison. That you were dangerous, unhinged after Harry… I just wanted to see for myself,” she says quietly. Emma closes her eyes. Sure, she figured people would talk about her, but she never let anyone get hurt. Except for those pieces of shit who killed Harry.

“How did you find me?” Emma asks. She can’t look at Regina right now.

“Took me a while. I tried using magic, but I realized you wouldn’t use magic if you wanted to get away from the community. So I started searching through records. You’re American, so I figured you’d go home. I did a little digging in public records, but no women named Emma Swan matched your description. I started looking for similar names because it’s hard to go by a new name. I tried different variations of Swan and found you.”

“You’re clever,” Emma admits begrudgingly. She turns to smirk at Emma. “You any good at staging crime scenes? We gotta make this look like we got them trapped under my gun, or my nightstick.”

“I can take a stab at it,” Regina smiles.

 

They don’t get a chance to talk about it for a while. Between staging the crime scene, calling for backup, confunding the criminals, making their statements and filling out forms, they were busy until mid-afternoon. Charlie had opted to interview the men and found out they were high, hoping to assault the sheriff. Charlie shipped them off to the county jail to await a trial and Regina and Emma were released. Emma took the rest of the afternoon off.

“So,” Regina finally says.

“Let’s get lunch first. Bring it back to my place and… talk about this?” Emma sighs, exhausted. “We can get takeout from Granny’s.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Regina agrees. They wait in a companionable silence as they wait for their food. It’s a small town, so Ruby and everyone else in the diner has already heard about what happened, but luckily Granny keeps everyone from asking them about it- Ruby pouts like a beaten puppy, but leaves them alone. By the time they’re back in Emma’s kitchen, eating at her table, Emma is more ready for a nap than a lengthy discussion.

“Well… what do you want to know?” Emma puffs her cheeks out.

“Why did you just… Leave?” Emma sighs.

“I couldn't stay anymore. I couldn't read all those books and look at those memorials all calling him this beautiful brave hero. They didn't know him. They didn't work with him or fight side by side with him.” She pauses. 

“They didn't love him?” Regina whispers. “Like you did?”

“Not like that,” Emma scoffs as she wipes away an errant tear. “I'm  _ gay.  _ He was like… my dad and my best friend and my big brother all rolled into one. I never really had great role models when I was a kid because I was in and out of foster homes and stuff and here he was… Mr. Perfect. So when he died like that… I was mad and I was hurting and I was disappointed. And I wanted revenge, no matter the cost. But I never let anyone else get hurt.”

“Who were you mad at? Yourself? Disappointed… in yourself? For not saving him?” Emma makes a face. “Or at him?” Regina tries again. Emma bites her lip, silently confirming it.

“It doesn’t matter why,” Emma dismisses. Regina disagrees, but lets the subject drop. “I just… had to leave.”

“Well, I didn’t mean to wreck your safe harbor from the magical world,” Regina apologizes. “I just… I let my curiosity get the better of me.” Emma smiles gently.

“You didn’t wreck anything. Well, actually that depends. What do you plan on doing now that you’ve found me out? You gonna sell the story to the Prophet?” 

“I didn’t really… have a plan after. I won’t tell anyone you’re here. I understand the need for an escape. I could use one, too.” While she spoke, Regina stole one of Emma’s onion rings. Emma graciously pretended not to notice.

“What could a nice woman like you have to escape from?” Emma teases playfully.

“An arranged marriage to a man much older than me? A terrible stepdaughter? An abusive mother? The only one I’d miss is my sister, but even she can be a bitch,” Regina sighs. Emma shifts the plate to give Regina access to the last two onion rings.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t… Didn’t realize.” Emma felt like an ass and didn’t really know what to say. “You could… escape here? It’s been good for me.”

“You asking me to move in with you? We just met, Miss Swan. Or should I call you Miss  _ Schwan _ ?” Regina laughs lightly.

“Shut up, I was trying to be nice,” Emma grumbles, pouting. 

“I know, I know. Maybe I will stick around for a while. After all, I’m still doing research for my travel article,” Regina grins.

“Good. You should. I mean- because it’s fun around here not… I mean, go wherever you want, I just… Storybrooke is a cool place, like, if you wanna stay here. Not that you have to or anything.” Emma stutters nervously, her cheeks reddening. Regina just smiles, taking her hand.

“I might stick around… if you give me a reason,” Regina murmurs. 


	53. Vows (Swan Queen and Mills Sisters Brotp)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Regina and Emma have been dating since fifth year, but a contract to form peace between two houses was signed by their their great great great great great grandparents leads to a marriage contract neither knew about. It decreed Emma and Zelena, firstborns of the eighth generation, would wed on the night of the Fall Equinox. Neither family remembered this contract, but it is unbreakable. What ever are Emma and Regina going to do?” ~DisturbingVision

_ “Enough! Our families must end this feud. At any cost. Now, we must make the oath. The unbreakable vow,” Edmund Charming declared. Horatio Mills sniffed. The year was 1773. This meeting was to broker peace between the warring clans of Charming and Mills. For eons, their houses had battled. None were certain of the cause, but they had had enough. _

_ “Yes. We promise the firstborns of the seventh new generation of each family will marry. If either side breaks this deal, a thousand plagues will be set upon your family,” Horatio declared. They clasped hands and Arthur Dumbledore completed the vow, commemorated it on parchment, sealed the bond for all eternity, and the peace meeting was ended. It was done. _

 

The year was now 2020 and the eighth generation was coming of age. But the firstborns weren’t prepared for what had to happen. No one was prepared for what had to happen.

 

“I love you, Emma,” Regina whispered. “Happy seventeenth birthday.” It was October 22, 2020 and Emma was celebrating. She and her girlfriend were also celebrating three years of dating happily. Regina kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. “And we can celebrate… after you go visit your parents. It’s a Hogsmeade weekend. Have fun.” Emma groaned. Despite being seventeen and in school, she couldn’t escape the big Charming family gathering.

“I’ll try,” Emma grins. She fixes her glasses and pulls her hair back. “One more kiss?” Regina smiles and kisses her, cutting it far too short and shoving Emma towards the Entrance Hall doors. 

“I’ll meet you in Madame Puddifoot’s at seven,” she promises. “I have to go meet my sister and my mom. I’ll see you.”

“Love you,” Emma calls. Regina returns the sentiment and Emma takes off at a jog toward Hogsmeade where her parents were waiting.

 

“Okay, why do you guys look like someone died? It’s my birthday, and you look like you’re about to tell me that you’ve got… cancer or something,” Emma laughs. They were halfway through lunch and her parents just exchanged grim looks. “Guys… you’re not sick, right?” she asks nervously.

“No,” her father, David, assures her immediately. “We’re fine. We just… Have some news for you. It’s not exactly… You’re not gonna like it.”

“Spit it out, dad!” she hisses, slamming her palms against the table.

“Okay,” her mother Mary Margaret sighs. “It all started with your great… great to the nth degree grandparents. They started a feud with another family ages ago, the Mills family.”

“Like… Regina’s family?” Emma whispers.

“Yes,” her mother nods. “But Emma, sweetie, save your questions for the end. It’s best to let your father explain.”

“The feud was terrible. People on either side of the family were dying in battles. Harmless bystanders were dying. Innocent people were dying. So, your ancestors and Regina’s made a pact. The firstborns of the seventh new generation would marry when they both come of age. And you’re 17 now.” He pauses as if letting this all sink in.

“So, I have to marry Regina, right? She’s the eighth generation?” Emma asks. This doesn’t sound  _ so _ bad. Mary Margaret takes a deep breath and grabs Emma’s hand.

“No. You have to marry her sister, Zelena.”

 

“What? Why?” Zelena scoffs. “I’m not marrying Regina’s sloppy seconds.” Cora Mills was explaining the same thing to her daughters.

“An unbreakable vow was made over 200 years ago,” Cora repeats. “If the firstborns don’t marry, plagues will be brought down on our families. It will be chaos. We’ll all die. Every last Mills. Every last Charming.”

“But… I’m dating Emma. And we’re twins. Why does it matter which one marries her?” Regina croaks. 

“Zelena was technically born first. Two minutes before you, dear, which makes her the firstborn. It has to be her.” Cora’s voice is much gentler than Regina is used to. It scares her.

“No!” Zelena shouts. After suffering five years hearing about her little (okay, so she was only two minutes older, so what?) sister’s huge crush, and how much she  _ loved _ Emma Swan, she couldn’t do this. Even though she and Regina didn’t always get on well, they were sisters. And Zelena loved her sister. She couldn’t hurt her like this. “I won’t!”

“You have to. For the greater good,” Cora pleads.

“Why didn’t you tell me? You  _ knew _ ,” Regina husks out.

“What?”

“You  _ knew! _ ” she shrieks. “Why didn’t you warn me when I was 14 and asking her out? Why did you let me fall in love with her, knowing it would never work out?” She’s shouting now, hysterical. She can’t even be bothered to wipe the tears off her cheeks.

“I… I couldn’t burden you with this so young,” her mother sighs. “I… I wish… I thought I was doing what was best.”

“I can’t do this, mother,” Zelena whispers urgently. “I can’t marry the love of Regina’s life.”

“You will love again,” Cora promises her daughter.

“No one like Emma,” Regina laughs bitterly. She shoves the chair out from the table and sprints from the tavern. She has to find Emma.

“So, when’s this damned wedding?” Zelena sighs. Regina will hate her forever, but Zelena will not be responsible for the destruction of her entire family tree.

“Tomorrow.”

 

“Regina!” Emma gasps out a sob. She had been sitting outside Madame Puddifoot’s waiting for her girlfriend, bawling like a child. How was she supposed to marry Zelena when she loved Regina? And tomorrow? It wasn’t right. Regina just bowled Emma over, holding her. Both girls clawed at each other’s coats, grasping for something to hold onto.

“Why is this happening?” Regina whimpers into Emma’s shoulder.

“I l-love you,” Emma whispers pathetically.

“I’ll always love you.”

“No matter what,” Emma finishes. They sit there until it gets dark, just holding each other until they begin the long trudge back to Hogwarts.

 

The next morning, they were gathered in the Hog’s Head. Aberforth Dumbledore needed to perform the ceremony as the closest living relative of Arthur Dumbledore, the man who had performed the original binding ceremony. Emma was wearing her red and black dress robes. Zelena looked elegant in her own green robes. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor. As if this ceremony needed any more dramatics.

“I am sorry about this,” Zelena whispers to Emma as they wait for everyone to get ready.

“Not your fault,” Emma sighs. Regina was standing near her mother, eyes sparkling with tears as she watched the girls process forward for the marriage ceremony.

“Right, let’s get on with this… Marrying children, not what I wanted on a Sunday afternoon,” Dumbledore grumbled.

“They’re all of age,” David points out.

“Doesn’t make them adults,” Dumbledore grunts. “Anyway. Moving on.” He clears his throat and reads from a yellowed, ancient looking parchment. “Per decree of Horatio Mills and Edmund Charming, on this day the long standing family feud will be ended. The firstborns of the seventh new generation are now to be joined in a union of marriage to cement the end of the warring. Their souls and lives will be entwined. Let us begin the ceremony. Right, uh, says here I need to mingle your blood on the parchment and it’ll glow, then we can make this all official. Prick your fingers. Right, good. Just a few drops there. Excellent.” They wait with bated breath, everyone watching as the little droplets of blood roll toward each other, mixing, and- nothing.

“It’s supposed to glow,” Zelena points out helpfully.

“What happened? Did we not do something right?” David asks.

“Well, do you have any other children? Either of you?” Dumbledore asks gruffly.

“No, just Emma.”

“Just the girls.”

“And… Zelena is the eldest?”

“Yes,” Cora sniffs. “I know my children. Zelena was born first.”

“Is it… possible they got switched?” Mary Margaret suggests. “Babies all look alike at such a young age. Especially twins. Maybe… You got them mixed up at some point?”

“I… No! I know my own daughters, Snow,” Cora snarls. Emma cocks her head to the side. 

“Well, something isn’t right!” David explodes. “I’m not bringing a curse on our families!”

“It’s not your fault, Cora. You practically raised them alone since Henry was sick. It… It’s okay,” Mary Margaret points out gently.

“I… They’re my own daughters! I couldn’t have switched them!” Cora shouts. “He must have done the ceremony wrong!”

“Mom, all babies look like potatoes,” Regina sighs. Without another word, she pricks her finger with her wand and lets the blood drip lower onto the page. She takes Emma’s still bleeding finger and holds it over her blood. As soon as the drops mix, the paper glows a bright white.

“It’s Regina,” David breathes. “Emma has to marry Regina.”

“A little earlier than I figured, but I’m not complaining,” Emma grins. She turns to Zelena. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Now I can get back to my life,” she scoffs. Moving to the side, she makes room for Regina who takes her place next to Emma. 

“Well then,” Aberforth sighs heavily. “Let’s marry these two kids so I can open my bar back up.” Emma and Regina can’t stop smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just couldn't do an angsty ending... I'm sorry (but I'm really not). Hope you enjoyed! Reminder that I love getting prompts, but I'm not accepting any right now unless you are willing to wait upwards of a month, at least.


	54. Expecto Patronum (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ruby and Belle are practicing about the Patronus spell and some point when they succeed, they have to focus in a happy moment (some romantic)... and the Patronus one of them is a wolf and the other is Siberian husky and their Patronus play together and disappear in the opposite of their owners…” ~Alexa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember who you aaaarrrreeeeee, Simba (AKA Red beauty was my OG ship, don't fight me on this)

“You must focus on a happy memory. Your  _ happiest _ memory,” Professor Mills reminds them. “That happiness is what fends off dementors and makes the patronus so strong. Half the battle is choosing the right memory!” 

Ruby just grunted. She knew that being in Professor Mills’ NEWT defense class would be difficult. However, she hadn’t thought they would be working on the patronus within the first two months of class. Or that she would be so rubbish at it. This was their second day of practising the spell and she couldn’t even make a wisp appear like everyone else had seemed to. None had gotten a corporeal patronus, nor had they gotten a large shield-like shape. But everyone else had gotten something, and Ruby was struggling.

“Ruby,” Belle French whispers. Ruby’s best friend, and her fellow sixth year Gryffindor, had been the only one to get the most success with the patronus. “Rubes, what are you picking for your memory?”

“Making the quidditch team second year,” Ruby whispered back.

“That’s not strong enough. Not happy enough.” Ruby frowns. When she had become one of the chasers second year, she had been ecstatic. It felt like one of her best accomplishments. Her biggest accomplishment.

“Well, what are you using?” Ruby accuses. Belle smiles.

“Christmas last year. At your Granny’s cottage.” Turning, Belle points her wand into the center of the room. “ _ Expecto patronum!” _ A sputtering, silvery white blob explodes from the end of Belle’s wand. It lights up the room before flaming out. Ruby just blushes, still caught up in the memory.

 

_ It was Christmas Eve, and the girls were huddled in the living room of Granny’s cottage. The older woman had retired to bed long ago in her room on the ground floor since she had to be up to bake the bread for the bakery first thing in the morning. It was snowing, cold in the room so the girls sat huddled under a blanket in front of the fire, drinking stolen firewhiskey and giggling as they held each other. _

_ “Never have I ever… kissed someone at midnight on New Year’s,” Belle whispers. Ruby smiles, leaning forward to kiss her lips.  _

_ “Check the clock. It’s midnight,” she smirks. Belle rolls her eyes. _

_ “But it’s not New Year’s Eve. It’s Christmas Eve,” she points out. Ruby pouts, realizing Belle is right. After a moment, she grins. “Well, Merry Christmas, then, Belle.” And she leans in to kiss her again. They kiss lazily, sleepy and tasting of firewhiskey. They fall asleep wrapped up in each other next to the dying embers of the fire just as Granny is waking down below. _

 

That afternoon, Ruby got permission from Professor Mills to borrow the classroom to practice.

“My door’s always open for those who’d like to improve their skills. You’ll be sharing the space with another student,” she had smiled. Ruby hadn’t really been surprised when the door opens half an hour into her practising and Belle comes in.

“Having any luck?” Belle smiles softly. Ruby just smirks.

“ _ Expecto patronum! _ ” she shouted. A large, circular shape flowed out of her wand, a bit like a shield. Bigger than Belle’s.

“Whoa! What memory are you using?” Belle asks once the shield disappears.

“Our first Hogsmeade weekend. In third year, remember? Just before Halloween.” Belle nods, blushing.

“That’s- that’s, um a good one to use.” Belle’s mouth is suddenly dry and she can’t seem to remember anything beyond her name and that rainy afternoon in October.

 

_ It had been raining for a week, and today’s clouds promised a thunderstorm like no other. Some of the older students were opting to stay inside, having gotten over the excitement of first Hogsmeade visits. Others, like most of the third years, were waiting for McGonagall to release them so they could get their sweets from Honeyduke’s and their pumpkin juice from the Three Broomsticks. _

_ Ruby and Belle were bundled up in their scarves and gloves, bouncing with anticipation. Belle was holding an oversized umbrella, but Ruby argued that a little water never hurt anyone. They were whispering, waiting, planning their excursion. Finally, McGonagall let them go. Belle and Ruby took off towards the village, hoping to get in a few shops before the skies opened up. _

_ “We should go to Zonko’s first,” Ruby argued. _

_ “Madame Puddifoot’s has the best tea!” Belle points out. _

_ “But we can get tea anytime. Let’s at least go to the Three Broomsticks!” _

_ “Ruby!” Belle groans. They were standing in the middle of the village, arguing about where to go first when the sky lit up, followed immediately by the rolling crash of thunder. One moment, they were dry and the next, it was pouring. _

_ “We waited too long!” Ruby shouts. She can barely see, just enough to grab Belle and pull her towards the nearest open door.  _

_ It ends up being a small bookstore called Tomes and Scrolls. The owner was a stooped, wizened old man with big thick-rimmed glasses who looked ecstatic to see young people. He said very few ever came in on days like this, or ever. Belle immediately fell in love with the little shop, wandering the shelves, running her fingers over the spines of books. The shopkeeper left the girls to sit by the fire where Belle perused a large stack of books, trying to pick which one to read. When lunch time came around and they were still trapped by the monsoon-type rain, the man just pattered upstairs to his apartment and brought down pumpkin juice, grilled cheese, crackers and even some chocolate frogs. _

_ “Ever since my wife passed and Hermione Granger left school, I’ve been lonely here. She was the only one to ever visit,” he explained. When Belle can’t narrow it down to few enough books, he offers to lend them to her so long as she returns them. He leaves to go get a waterproof bag with an undetectable extension charm on it for her to carry the books back and they make the long trudge back to school. _

_ “He was nice,” Ruby smiles sleepily when they’re back in Gryffindor tower. They’d each taken a warm shower before changing into pajamas. While the other girls in their year were in the common room sitting in front of the fire, Belle and Ruby were sitting in the windowsill with a warm little ball of blue fire between them. While Belle was reading her book, careful to keep it away from the flames, Ruby leaned her head against the windowpane, watching the rain come down. _

_ “I’m glad we got stranded there rather than somewhere crowded and busy,” Belle smiles without looking up from the book. The flames are dancing, and the light reflects on Belle’s face, casting shadows and highlighting her cheekbones. Ruby studies her, thinking how beautiful she looks. Ruby bites her lip for a moment before leaning forward. The heat of the flames tickles her chest as she plants a kiss on a surprised Belle’s lips. _

_ “Me too,” she giggles, pulling back. Belle’s mouth opens to form a small ‘o’ of surprise when she looks down at Ruby. “What?” Ruby asks. “Should I not have-” Belle cuts her off, putting down the book. _

_ “You know bluebell fire doesn’t hurt skin?” Belle lets her fingers play with a tendril of flame. “But, it has a tendency to burn clothing that it comes into contact with. Like your pajamas.” She gestures with her eyes to Ruby’s chest. She looks down to find the fire had burned a hole right through her pajama top and her boobs were on display- or rather, what little had developed since she started going through puberty. _

_ “Dude!” Ruby shrieks, putting her hands over herself. _

 

“Oh, yeah? I bet I can get a corporeal patronus before you,” Belle smirks.

“Like hell you can,” Ruby argues. Even if Belle has always gotten higher marks, even if Belle is always the first to complete a new spell, even if Belle is always better, Ruby will not go down without a fight. Belle just smiles before closing her eyes, taking a moment to think before she casts the spell again. It’s no larger than Ruby’s shield. But Ruby will not be outdone. So, she casts the spell, determined to do it right.

_ “Expecto patronum!” _ Belle creates a blob that starts to take shape. She had remembered when she first met Ruby on the night of the sorting, when they sat next to each other at the Gryffindor table.

_ “Expecto patronum!” _ Ruby’s blob looked like a four-legged creature trying to run. She had thought of the first time she had hugged Belle. It had been the morning after the sorting and found Belle crying in the bathtub, holding a blanket to her mouth to muffle the sound and keep from waking up her roommates. It had taken a fair bit of prodding but eventually Belle revealed that she missed her mother, who had died two years ago, and her father. Ruby had hugged her, revealing that she woke up in the middle of the night, wishing her Granny was there.

_ “Expecto patronum!” _ Belle’s patronus was starting to take shape now. It looked like a dog of some type, but it was still blurry and sputtered out  Belle had remembered the time Ruby came to visit her over the summer and sat talking to Belle’s mother’s headstone for over an hour.

_ “Expecto patronum!” _ Ruby’s patronus was similar to Belle’s and looked like a dog, but its snout seemed longer, fur thicker. But it still wasn’t clear enough to say for sure. She had remembered when Granny met Belle in the summer before third year. She had waited until Belle went to go shower before dinner, looked Ruby in the eye and said, “you should marry that girl. She’d be good for you.”

“I’m exhausted. Take a break?” Belle pants. Ruby nods, collapsing on the classroom floor next to her.

“Clearly we’re not picking strong enough memories,” Ruby points out after a while. “We should brainstorm ideas.”

“What about… hey, you remember when we stayed at your Granny’s cottage? Over Christmas last year. And she had to go away for a few days to get more stuff for the bakery?” Belle suggests. Ruby remembers those few days extremely well. But she isn’t sure exactly which part Belle is referring to: the long, sleepy kisses or the drunken dancing during the day or the endless conversations in front of the fireplace.

“That was pretty good, but I’m not sure it qualifies as my  _ happiest  _ memory. Let’s try something different. Close your eyes. Lie back.” Belle gives her a strange look, but lies back into Ruby’s lap with closed eyes, trusting in Ruby to have a plan. “Now, relax, okay?” Her voice is gentler now, softer. Belle finds herself sighing into it. Ruby’s fingers ghost a pattern up and down Belle’s arms. “Just breathe and focus on the sound of my voice. We’re going to do some word association. Just say the first thing that pops into your mind. Ready?”

“Go,” Belle responds immediately. She hears Ruby giggle and opens her eyes.

“No! Sorry, don’t… Close your eyes. Relax. Just focus on me, okay?” Belle snorts, but relaxes back into Ruby’s lap. Her friend’s fingers walk themselves from one shoulder to the other, leaving a scalding hot trail on Belle’s chest. “Let’s try that again. Are you relaxed?”

“Mhmm,” Belle sighs, squirming as Ruby’s touch comes back to her chest, up and down her shoulders, the column of her neck, her jaw line.

“Then let’s start. Best.”

“Friend.”

“Magic.”

“Books.”

“Nerd.”

“Rude.” Belle smirks, keeping her eyes closed. Ruby moves her hand to Belle’s stomach. Belle flinches.

“Ticklish?”

“Yes,” Belle sighs, squirming. Ruby moves to run her hands up her ribcage.

“Favorite color?”

“Red.”

“Favorite season?”

“Fall.”

“Favorite person?”

“You.” Ruby blushes at Belle’s answer, but keeps going.

“Finish the sentence. I am happy when I…”

“Am with you.”

“I like to…”

“Go on walks with you.” Ruby bites her lip.

“I love…”

“Ruby.” Belle gasps a little, as if she really hadn’t been thinking before she spoke. Immediately, her cheeks flush as pleasant shade of pink. “Ruby, I-”

“No,” Ruby says immediately as Belle sits up. She waits a moment before putting her head in Belle’s lap. “Now you do me.” Belle just opens and closes her mouth for a moment, stunned. Finally, she shakes her head and runs her fingers through Ruby’s hair. She shudders visibly and lets out a little sigh.

“Focus on the sound of my voice. Just relax. And say the first thing that comes to your mind. Gryffindor.”

“Red.”

“Good.”

“Bad.”

“Truth.”

“Hurts.”

“Friends.”

“Enemies.”

“Wife.”

“Wife.” Belle chuckles a little but keeps on going.

“Um… Favorite time of day?”

“Midnight.”

“Favorite animal?”

“Dogs.”

“Best friend.”

“Belle.” Ruby smiles as she says it, keeping her eyes closed.

“Okay, finish the sentence now, okay? I like to…”

“Eat.” Belle rolls her eyes.

“I am happy when…”

“You read to me.” It’s always been one of Ruby’s favorite things. When they have to read the textbook for class, Ruby will beg and plead for Belle to read it aloud. She says the accent makes everything more interesting, but Belle thinks Ruby pays more attention to her voice than the actual content.

“I love…” Belle holds her breath, but she doesn’t have to wait.

“You.”

“Ruby…” Belle grins. Ruby sits up, smiling shyly at her friend. 

“All of the memories I used… you were in them. And the memories… were stronger when I was with you. My patronus got stronger too,” Ruby admits.

“So were mine. They were- I mean, like, they were, um about, like, you and me. It made my patronus… stronger.” Belle grips the back of her neck awkwardly.

“So, like… I love you, Belle. You’re my best friend. But- like, I love you in a more than friends way, y’know?” Belle nods quickly and Ruby sighs. “I’d like to- maybe we could, like… go on a date? Just… I don’t know… It’s stupid I just…”

“Yes,” Belle grins. Ruby perks up.

“What?”

“Yes!” Giggling, Belle leans over Ruby’s lap, kissing her cheek. She’s just darting back when Ruby grabs her by the wrists, pulling her back. Belle loses her balance, falling into Ruby’s lap and Ruby ends up kissing her forehead, but it’s nice. A little weird and dorky, but so are they. “I love you, you big goofball,” Belle whispers, shifting herself so that she can kiss Ruby properly. She drapes her arms over Ruby’s shoulders, licking her way into her mouth. When Ruby pulls away, breathless, a few minutes later, she just smiles.

“I love you too, nerd.” She scrambles to stand up, knocking Belle back on her ass when she falls off her lap. “And I think I have a new happiest memory.” Concentrating on everything that just happened- finding out Belle loves her too, getting a new girlfriend, finding out her unrequited crush of six years is actually requited, kissing her best friend with  _ tongue _ \- and brandishes her wand. She’s so focused that she doesn’t notice Belle doing the same thing. “ _ Expecto patronum! _ ” A brilliantly bright white wolf bounds out of Ruby’s wand, jumping around and sniffing at everything. It sits up and howls. 

“ _ Expecto patronum! _ ” A big dog leaps from the end of Belle’s wand. Upon closer examination, Belle recognizes it as a Siberian Husky. The big wolf-like dog runs over to Ruby’s wolf. They roll and they romp, wrestling with each other. The girls only have to look at each other and smile, and the dogs howl with renewed energy. After a few minutes, the girls let their shields drop. They’re panting, exhausted with the energy expending keeping their patronuses up. They fall back into their chairs, intertwining their fingers.

“I won,” Ruby teases, tongue between her teeth as she grins impishly.

“Did not,” Belle scoffs. Suddenly, Professor Mills sweeps back in. The girls startle, having forgotten this is her classroom and she was due back.

“Actually, it was simultaneous. So, you both won and you both lost,” she points out, smirking to herself. The girls exchanged worried looks. “Yes, I did see most of your practising. I figured you girls work better when competing with each other, and I’d better not interrupt it. Congratulations on figuring out your patronuses… among other things.” She winks as the girls turn bright red, gathering up their things and starting to rush out.

“Thanks for letting us use your room to practice, Professor,” Ruby calls out before she sprints from the room. Belle echoes the sentiment meekly, chasing after Ruby. Professor Mills just smirks to herself, straightening the papers on her desk. It’s been a long time since she’d seen two people any more oblivious about their feelings. She’s glad they finally got their shit together and realized they were meant to be.

Which reminded her: she should write to her wife, Emma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why yes, I did need to throw in some minor married Swan Queen because I am trash. Thanks for reading, nerds!


	55. The Devil's in the Pensieve (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Cora is, a horrible and cruel, head of Hogwarts, everyone hates Regina for it, Emma, who has a secret crush but also usually annoyed by knowitall and smart regina who shes always expected to have it all, sneaks into Coras office tryint to steal smth and comes across the pensieve, in which she sees all reginas childhood memories…” ~Justlovebt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of bullying in this chapter, guys. And mentions of child abuse (physical and emotional). So, please be careful if any of those things might be triggering for you!

“Ugh, god, Headmistress Mills is the  _ worst _ ,” someone grumbles. Regina’s cheeks color as she shifts in her seat in the Ravenclaw common room. Over her three years at Hogwarts, she had never really gotten used to everyone hating her mother. “But this one comes a close second,” the person adds, chuckling. Regina winces as an old inkwell is tossed at her head.

“Come on, guys,” she says gently, turning around. The sixth year boy- Lucas Turner, nicknamed Hades- and his friends surround her. She wishes that she hadn’t stayed up so late trying to study. Now she was alone with them.

“Oh, little Mills, you should know better. Your mom gave me a month’s detentions  _ and _ took away 50 house points. Can you believe that?” Regina wants to say she  _ can _ ; Hades had cut class and snuck out to Hogsmeade, wreaking havoc and stealing everything from firewhiskey and butterbeer to chocolate frogs and dungbombs. Luckily, Regina knew better. She just sat and let him keep speaking. “And everyone knows her detentions are basically torture.” Regina doesn’t protest. He’s right.

Cora Mills had completely changed the punishment system at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, she had been a student with Dolores Umbridge and had adopted some of her ways. Most detentions involved lines written in the student’s blood. Particularly disobedient students may be strung up in chains. Whenever Cora was being particularly harsh on the students, they lashed back at Regina.

“So, Regina… Here’s what I’m thinking. For every day I have to go to detention, you can do what I do in detention,” Hades grins. “And this afternoon, I hung by my thumbs for a whole hour. So, let’s see what can do about you.” He leers at her as his friends grab at her. By the time they’re done, the blue curtains are tied around her wrists and she’s dangling high up near the ceiling, stripped of her shirt and shorts. She’s still there when people come down for breakfast the next morning.

 

“Why are you doing this? If you get caught, Mills senior will literally  _ kill _ you,” Ruby sighs. She knows better than to really try and talk Emma out of an idea.

“Because, when I get away with it, I will be a  _ legend _ . Everyone will be talking about me,” Emma grins slyly as she gathers up her supplies. When Headmistress Mills goes to bed for the night- at precisely 10:30, according to Emma’s studies- she plans to go in and release a few dung bombs. Maybe rearrange some papers. And take something to prove she had been in there, like maybe a detention slip or a potion, or something?

“You mean…  _ Regina _ will be talking about you?” Ruby snickers. Emma’s not-so-secret crush on the Ravenclaw girl had been brewing since first year, though Emma staunchly denied it.

“Well, I mean, she’s part of everyone, so I guess?” Emma stumbles awkwardly through the response, trying to be nonchalant. Ruby just rolls her eyes.

“Admit it. You love that stubborn know-it-all.” Emma’s cheeks color.

“I do not! Whenever we have classes together, she always has to put her hand up. And when someone else tries to answer and gives the wrong one, she rolls her eyes and scoffs, like they’re stupid and everyone’s beneath her. And it’s so annoying! So I feel like I can’t talk in class ever because- like, she’s gonna think I’m stupid and she just knows everything,” Emma rants. Ruby just nods, smirking.

“Alright, Emma. Hey, when Mills catches you and strings you up by your toes for the rest of the century, can I have your broom?” Ruby laughs. Emma just throws a quill at her.

 

It was nearing eleven when Emma finally put her disillusionment charms on and snuck into the Headmistress’ office. It wasn’t easy getting past all of her enchantments. She had to read  _ Hogwarts, A History _ at least ten times to try and figure out the security measures, then researched complex counter charms. She knew it was unlikely that she would get away with this, but it was worth a shot. Plus, with all this extensive research, maybe Regina would stop making that face whenever Emma spoke in class, like Emma was an idiot.

To get past the gargoyles, Emma put on a charm to make her completely intangible, allowing her to walk through the wall and up the steps. She took down the simplest of the protection spells before walking through the door. 

_ What the fuck. That was easier than I thought, _ Emma thought to herself. Maybe Headmistress Mills thought her reputation was enough to keep people away from her office. As she peered through the cupboards, searching for something impressive to steal, a glittering gaseous light caught her eye peeking from below the cupboard doors. She opened the wooden cabinet.

Inside was a shallow stone basin. There were really odd symbols carved all along the edges and it was decorated with jewels, some yellow, red, green and blue. Inside there was a silvery substance and Emma couldn’t decide whether it was a liquid or a gas. She decided it looked like a cloud, little tendrils snaking out of the basin. Lining the upper cabinet were little vials filled with more of this stuff. Each was labelled. Curious, Emma grabbed one labelled  _ Regina- childhood. _ Uncapping the cork, she poured it into the big basin. As it filled in, it looked like a picture. Emma leaned in closer to look at it and suddenly- she was falling in.

When her feet hit the ground, Emma realized she was fucked. Because looking around, she saw Headmistress Mills striding across the lawn towards her. Emma wasn’t sure where she was- it looked like the backyard behind a big mansion somewhere in the middle of nowhere. As Cora Mills beared down on Emma, hand raised as if to strike her, Emma cringed and closed her eyes, but the blow never came.

_ “Regina! What have I told you? Little girls do not play in the mud!” _ Confused, Emma turned. Looking around, she noticed that the room was a little smoky, hazy around the edges. Standing behind her was Cora Mills, and a much younger looking Regina. Her hair was longer, curly and dark. Her cheeks were pink and her rich brown eyes were filling with tears as she held one hand to her cheek, like her mother had struck her. Her emerald green dress- flowy, perfect and beautiful- was now covered in mud, likely from the big puddle and the pile of mud in front of her.

_ “Mama, I made a mud pie. For you!” _ Regina offers. Emma watches in horror as Cora slaps her again.

_ “You ruined your dress. And I’ve already told you- little girls have tea parties. They do not make mud pies,”  _ she sneers. Regina is crying now. Emma runs up to try and soothe the crying toddler, but Emma’s hands are made of smoke.  _ “Now, go inside and clean up. I’ll meet you in the punishment room.” _ Emma’s face blanches, wondering what that meant when there’s a swirling of color and the scene changes.

Regina looks older now, maybe closer to five years old. Her hair is pinned in an intricate set of braids and she’s sitting in what appears to be a library, staring out a window. There’s another man sitting there, reading something to her. Emma wonders what she’s doing when there’s a sound of heels clacking on the floor.

_ “Regina! Stop daydreaming. If you are to be youngest minister for magic, you must focus on your studies,” _ she barks. 

_ “Yes, mother,” _ Regina says obediently, turning back to what must be her tutor. There’s a peal of laughter from outside. Emma looks out the window to see neighborhood kids playing together. Regina glances back at them before focusing on her books again. The scene shifts again.

Regina is a child now, maybe eight years old. She’s in elegant dress gowns and crying in an office room. There’s no light outside and there’s only one candle lit. Regina whimpers and Emma turns to see Cora striding in. Without any preamble, she whips out her wand and fires a silent spell at Regina. She immediately crumpled to the floor, crying out before getting back to her feet, shaking. Her eyes are trained on the floor, hands behind her back even as she cried.

_ “You embarrassed me in front of my colleagues. It is my first event as Headmistress and you had to ruin it!” _ she hisses, getting close to Regina’s face.  _ “You’re worthless. A screw up. You’re nothing!” _

“No,” Emma mumbles. She wishes she could comfort Regina, but her hand goes right through the girl. 

_ “Mother, i-it was an a-accident,” _ she sniffles. There’s another flash of light and Regina falls again, crying out.

_ “You dropped your food all over the carpet, made a member of the school board spill their wine, and then, to top it all off, you soiled your clothes like a mewling infant. You’re pathetic. Worthless. I wish you weren’t my daughter!” _ She punctuates each statement with a backhanded slap to Regina’s face, finishing it off with another spell. Regina falls to the ground, screaming and Cora silences her with another wave of her wand. In the dim light, Emma can just make out that her arm is bent at a terrible angle, likely broken.  _ “Remember this next time you decide to have an accident like that.” _ And just like that, Cora walks out. Leaving Regina crying in pain with a broken arm, silenced and unable to call for help. The scene changes again.

They’re in the same office, but Regina is older. Her hair is cut short just like it was in first year. Emma figures this must be from that year. Cora has an eyebrow raised and is reading a parchment rubber-stamped with the Hogwarts seal. Regina’s head is bowed.

_ “You’ve got second highest marks of the first years,” _ Cora sighs, putting the paper down. Regina winces, but makes no sound.  _ “I’m disappointed.” _

_ “Mother, I-” _

_ “No. First, you embarrassed me by becoming a Ravenclaw, breaking the generations-long streak of Slytherins in the Mills family. Then, you have the audacity to get beaten in your marks by that insipid little Gryffindor? Belle French?” _ Regina whimpers.

_ “She’s very- very smart, Mother. A book worm. I studied, but she-” _ Without a word, there’s a flash of light and Regina squeaks. A thin line of blood appears on her cheek. Cora mumbles something and the cut heals instantly, but Regina looks uncomfortable, like it still hurts.

_ “You are my daughter. You are meant to be smarter. Better. More powerful. The best. We do not accept second place. Next time, you’d better get top marks. Or else.” _ Fear crosses Regina’s face. A gentle touch on Emma’s shoulder startles her, turning around, she finds Regina. Her hair is longer, just below her shoulders. It’s the Regina that Emma knows now, her eyes red and dressed in pajamas.

“Uh, Regina, I- how are you here?” Emma stutters. In the memory, there’s a flash of light and a cry. Wincing, Regina grabs Emma’s arm, pulling her out. The girls stumble as they fall back into the head’s office. Regina crosses her arms, glaring at Emma.

“What are you doing in my mother’s office? In her memories?” she demands. Emma stutters nervously. 

“Um, I just- it was a prank- and I just- the door was glowing- it was an accident! I’m sorry!” When Emma looks at her, she can’t stop remembering what Cora had done to Regina. She sees blood, cuts, bruises, broken arms, tears, Regina’s mouth hung open in pain and shock. She doesn’t even realize she’s crying before Regina shakes her by the arm.

“Stop that,” she glares.

“Stop what?” Emma asks, unable to look her in the eye anymore. The tears fall freely.

“Stop looking at me like that. Like I’m a victim. Like something’s wrong with me. I am fine. I’m  _ fine _ . So don’t look at me like I’m broken,” she snaps, crossing her arms. 

“No, Regina, I didn’t mean to! I just… I feel bad. I mean, I knew your mom was tough on people as Headmistress, but… I didn’t realize-”

“Don’t talk about my mother. Don’t  _ ever _ talk about her,” she shrieks. Emma backs up, hands in the air in surrender.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“Why are you even in here?” Emma can see the fragility, the vulnerability in Regina’s eyes as she glares at Emma. Her arms are crossed over her chest protectively. Emma decides it’s only fair she be just as honest. Just as vulnerable.

“I just… Part of me wanted to pull this prank so everyone would think I was badass and cool… But part of me just wanted you to notice, the pay attention to me. I wanted to-” Emma pauses, chuckling awkwardly- “I wanted you to realize I’m not dumb. That I’m capable. Because I got past all of her defenses, and I am… I’m not a bad person!” 

“I never thought you were dumb,” Regina whispers.

“Sure seemed like you did,” Emma grumbles, embarrassed. “You always roll your eyes when I talk in class, and you give me these looks.” Regina’s cheeks color.

“I roll my eyes a lot because, well… Because those boys in your house- Robin Lockley, John Tucker, and Timmy Strauss? They  _ hate _ my mom, and they always make these comments and- well, sometimes, like… They throw stuff. And I make faces because… God, this is embarrassing. I like you, Emma. And sometimes, when I’m around you, I smile a lot and I make stupid comments and I thought that I was keeping my face more neutral, but I guess I wasn’t.” Regina’s face is red now and she isn’t looking at Emma. “So, if you go now, I promise I’ll make sure my mother never knows about this, and you can never talk to me again.”

“No- I- hey stop! I like you, too, Regina!” Emma shouts as Regina starts to leave, embarrassment coloring her features. Turning, Regina frowns.

“Don’t tease me, please,” Regina whispers.

“I wouldn’t,” Emma promises. She walks forward slowly, grabbing her by the hand. Emma interlaces their fingers. “I wouldn’t. I really like you. Please, Regina, hear me out?” Regina rolls her eyes, but smiles gently. Sniffling, she wipes at the tears. Smiling, Emma asks, “how did you even know I was in here?”

“I was in my mom’s chambers, looking for something when the alarm went off. You’re lucky my mom was at a meeting with the school board. She would’ve killed you,” Regina snickers. Emma pulls her in for a hug.

“Well, thanks for saving me, then? And, like… thanks for… I don’t know. I just… I like you a lot,” Emma shrugs, blushing. “Can I…” She leans forward slightly, wanting to kiss Regina.

“Mhmm,” Regina breathes. Emma closes her eyes and presses her lips to Regina. She’s never been kissed before. She doesn’t know how to move her lips, how to kiss Regina like she means it. But when she pulls away, Regina is smiling. They walk together down the stairs, quickly adding concealment charms before they leave. Regina kisses Emma again before they separate to go to their common rooms. Emma can’t wait to tell Ruby all about it.


	56. Last Witch Standing (Red Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How about some action this time?  
> Dueling club has an annual tournament, single elimination style. The two left standing are last year's champion Regina and dark horse Ruby. Who will win?” ~Nemesischaris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me tell you, action was hard to write! Enjoy!

It was everyone’s favorite time of year, what everyone looked forward to all year long. It was time for the annual All-School Wizard’s Duel. A few years after the war, the new Headmistress Mary Margaret Blanchard had reinstated the Hogwarts duelling clubs. Each house now had their own club that trained all year. Starting just after Easter, the club all came together for a tournament, single-elimination. One by one, each student was eliminated over a course of weeks. By the time it was over, there was one victor, the last witch or wizard standing, who reigned as the dueling champion for the entire year. For the past four years, Slytherin Regina Mills has been the champion, but that was all at stake now.

 

Regina, a sixth year, had of course heard the chatter. Everyone was whispering in the halls and common rooms about the dueling tournament; who was eliminated, who had won, betting on who the final two would be. Regina made it a point not to listen, nor to attend the duels until it was her turn to compete. But the chatter was interesting today, much louder and more frantic.

“Did you hear about dueling last night?” a younger student, a Hufflepuff named Emma Swan, had whispered to a friend. Regina, who was studying in the library, just focused on her work. She wasn’t due to compete for three more days, when most of the upperclassmen started competing. 

“Yeah, oh my God! Can you believe it? She was so good, people think she might even win it this year!” The other girl was a Slytherin, and Regina was almost insulted that this girl- Lily, she thinks her name is- has so little faith in her own house. “Everyone’s calling her a dark horse. Ruby Lucas could be the last witch standing this year,” she continues. Regina can’t help but snort. The scared third years turn, horrified to find Regina sitting near them, having heard everything. Without a word, they gather their things and run away.

“Ridiculous,” Regina snorts, going back to her potions essay. But it sticks in her mind for the rest of the afternoon. And when she walked by the dueling hall- an added hall near the entrance hall specifically to hold this tournament- she checked the schedule. Not an unusual thing for her. Though she didn’t go to the tournaments, she liked to keep an eye on her competitors. And it looked like the third years were right; Ruby Lucas had defeated all three competitors last night, including last year’s finalist Killian Jones. The ruthless seventh year Slytherin was known to fight dirty, but according to the postings, Ruby had beat him within minutes. On a whim, Regina slid into the room to watch.

Ruby Lucas was a sight to behold, Regina has decided. She’s on the raised platform, mid-duel. Her dark hair is pulled back in a loose ponytail, her face is tinged a light pink from exertion. Regina finds herself moving closer slowly, intrigued by the way Ruby moves. She’s very lanky, but moves with a practiced grace and ease. Her jaw is set, highlighting the sharp angles of her cheekbones. By the time the duel ends and Ruby smirks in victory, Regina realizes she hadn’t paid any attention to Ruby’s duelling form, or her competitor.

“Alright, that’s the last duel for tonight! Tomorrow at 7:00PM, Ruby Lucas will be fighting Hufflepuff fourth year John Lazula. Rest up, I’ll see you then,” Professor David Nolan declares. As the head of the duelling club, he congratulated each competitor, turning to leave, he called out to Regina. “Ah, Regina, you’re early this year! You don’t usually stop in until your competitors are up,” he calls. Everyone stops to turn and look at her, even Ruby. The fifth year Gryffindor was panting slightly, wiping the last beads of sweat off her forehead. Regina smiles graciously.

“Well, I heard Miss Lucas might be a competitor this year,” she grinned. Ruby seems to blush even deeper, looking down at her feet. Professor Nolan claps her on the shoulder once, beaming proudly. As head of house, he was always happy when someone praised his students.

“Isn’t she great? I don’t know why it took her so long to join the club. She didn’t even join until January this year! She’s great!” Ruby shrugs embarrassedly.

“I’m not that great,” she offers, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. Regina smirks. It’s nice to see the big, bad, tough Gryffindor fidgeting under a teacher’s praise. When Ruby notices the smirk, she pouts a little, sticking out her lower lip and Regina can feel her eyes bug out of her head.

“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true,” Regina finally manages to choke out, trying not to watch the way Ruby sucks her lower lip back in between her teeth. What the  _ fuck _ was going on with her? Everyone knew that Ruby was a beautiful girl. Many students had claimed to know  _ exactly _ what she was like in bed. But in reality, Ruby had never slept with anyone, something confirmed by all of her dorm mates and with the help of a little veritaserum (though that’s a story for another day). So yeah, Regina could admit that Ruby was beautiful, striking, sexy even. But she had never really been  _ attracted _ to the girl before. Certainly not to the point where she had to consciously remember not to stare too much or hold her breath.

“Well, we’ll just have to find out in the final match,” Ruby smirks triumphantly. And just like that, she walks off. Later, Regina will remember to be angry; she  _ always _ gets the last word. But for now, she’s just trying to remember how to breathe.

 

In just a week, the school is abuzz with excitement. Regina’s matches began and every day, she and Ruby alternated competing. Each day, the girls would eliminate three more competitors until finally, the last Friday evening arrived. It was time for the final duel. Practically the entire school had crammed into the dueling hall to watch. Regina, dressed in her green Slytherin robes with her hair pulled back in braids, took a deep breath as Professor Nolan started the proceedings. She tuned most everything out, watching the way Ruby rolled her shoulders, preparing for the match Regina had come to every one of Ruby’s matches- to watch her form and get a feel for her style, of course- and felt confident she could give a good fight. As she continued her internal pep talk, Regina could hear the introductions.

“Our reigning champ of the last four years, sixth year Slytherin prefect Regina Mills!” There’s a roaring applause and Regina takes a moment to smile, waving humbly, before getting back in her head space. “And the challenger, a new recruit from Gryffindor fifth year, this year’s dark horse, Ruby Lucas!” he cheering from Gryffindor is deafening, but Regina doesn’t care. It’s not the applause beforehand that matters; it’s the applause after for the victor that counts. “And we now remind everyone of the rules. No jinxes or curses beyond the harm of a stinging jinx. Each successfully landed stinging jinx is one point. First to seven points wins. I will keep everyone aware of scores. If I see any serious spellwork, more damaging or harmful than the allotted spells, I will deduct points or intervene as I see fit. If you step outside the lines of the path, you lose a point. No jinxes to the face, nor the… genital region. Please, give us a nice, clean fight, girls. At the end, there can only be one winner. Who will be the  _ last. Witch. Standing? _ ” he roars. The cloud cheers in response. “Now, shake hands.” The girls stepped into the center circle, shaking hands. As they moved, raising their wands to prepare, Regina quirked up an eyebrow.

“Scared, Lucas?” she murmured. Ruby smirks back, squaring her shoulders.

“You  _ wish _ , Mills,” she winks. With a flourish, she turns, and Regina moves to the end line where they begin. Once they’re on opposite sides of the dueling platform, Professor Nolan counts down from three and the duel begins. 

Regina holds back, waiting. Normally in duels, she prefers to be proactive and aggressive, trying to get the first point. But Ruby is exceptional at defense, and very rarely makes the first move. Regina figures that forcing her to do so might throw her off, upending her careful control. Neither girl moves, both stand sideways with feet apart, wands out and pointed at each other. Ruby narrows her eyes, muttering something before sending a jet of red light at Regina. 

Regina fires off a quick shield spell, moving a step closer. She waits again. Ruby huffs in frustration and steps forward quickly, firing off three more stunning spells. This is when Regina notices her first misstep. After the third spell, she lowered her wand, and Regina took that moment of hesitation to strike.

She fired off a stinging jinx and the white burst of light hit Ruby on her left wrist. She winced and Regina momentarily felt guilty, but then she stood tall, squaring her shoulders and glared. As professor Nolan called out the point, Ruby struck back. She fired a stinging hex and Regina barely had time to block it with a shield spell before Ruby tried to disarm her. Regina had to sidestep the spell before parrying with a tripping jinx, just hoping to slow down the onslaught. This is easily the hardest Regina has had to work in duelling club for the past three years.

Ruby leaps over the tripping jinx, landing on her feet and firing off another stunning spell. Regina froze for a moment when the spell hit her and she has to watch the jet of white light rushing at her, stinging her ankle. The pain snaps her out of her stupefication, and she scowls as Professor Nolan updates the score. Regina fires right back while Ruby was too busy grinning and listening to the cheers. The spell hits her wand wrist, and she drops her wand in pain.

Part of Regina wants to hit Ruby again when she stoops to grab her wand, but she refuses to let her win be unsportsmanlike. So, Regina pauses, waiting. As soon as Ruby straightens, she fires a spell at Regina in silence. Regina gets up a shield quickly and fires back with a tickling jinx. Simultaneously, Ruby hits Regina with a new spell, forcing Regina’s legs to dance wildly. The entire hall bursts into laughter as Ruby collapses to the floor, face red from giggling and Regina dances fervently. It takes Regina a moment to remember how to undo this jinx before she can stop herself. Her legs are sore and her cheeks are red from embarrassment as she hits Ruby in the ankle with another stinging jinx. Ruby laughs even as she yelps in pain, gasping for air as she tries to perform the countercurse.

“The score is now 3-1 Mills! She could finish this all up now while Lucas is vulnerable!” Professor Nolan announces. Ruby had managed to remove the jinx, but was breathing heavily and holding her stomach as she rose to her feet. Regina smirked, raising an eyebrow and waiting. She wanted this to be a clean fight. After a moment, Ruby narrowed her eyes and held out her wand. Before she could even fire a spell, Regina disarmed her. She hit her with another stinging jinx on her left wrist. Regina felt guilty watching the way Ruby’s face screwed up in pain, knowing she’d be covered in welts by the end of this match. But then, before Regina could think more about it, Ruby summoned her wand silently and disarmed Regina. She hit her once- on the right wrist- another time- on the ankle this time- and then a third time on her chest. Regina cried out and Ruby stilled, her eyes wide and fearful.

“The score is now tied at 4, and Mills seems to be having trouble. Will Ruby let her get her wand, or will she finish her off now?” Panting, Regina put one hand to the mark on her chest. That was a  _ dirty _ move, on Ruby’s part. She summons her wand and starts casting one spell after another. It’s a flurry of motions and lights and it’s all Ruby can do to keep up a shield spell. One stinging jinx gets through, hitting her on the shoulder, but Regina keeps advancing.

“ _ Impedimenta!” _ Ruby cries out, letting another stinging jinx hit her in the chest. Regina feels like she’s moving through water, slowed considerably. Ruby bent double, holding her chest in pain for a moment. She took the time to breathe while Regina slowly lifted her wand to cast another spell. When she rose, Regina could see a single tear slide down her cheek. Her gaze hardened and she sent two stinging jinxes at Regina, one after the other. They both hit her in the stomach, and the pain knocked Regina out of her slower stupor.

“Ladies, be careful with the placement of your jinxes!” Professor Nolan reminds them sternly. “The score is now tied at 6. Next point wins,” he reminds everyone. Regina and Ruby were within ten feet of each other now. When Regina took a step to her left, Ruby took a step to her right. 

“ _ Expelliarmus,” _ Regina tested. Ruby blocked it easily. She tried again, nonverbally this time. Another shield. Ruby responded with a nonverbal  _ stupefy _ which Regina sidestepped. The spells were coming faster again, and Regina wasn’t even sure exactly which ones she cast and which ones she dodged.

Somehow, miraculously, one of Ruby’s spells got through Regina’s defenses, knocking her flat on her back. Regina’s wand flew out of her hand and suddenly Ruby was standing right over her, smirking. Regina growled lowly. She would not be beaten like this.

“Any last words, Mills?” Ruby teases. She steps between Regina’s legs to get closer, leering over her.

“Eat shit, Lucas,” Regina grins. The crowd gasps- Regina Mills does  _ not _ swear- and Regina swipes her foot around Ruby’s ankle, tripping her. She jumps to her feet as she summons her wand, and now the roles are reversed. But Regina stays a step back, summoning Ruby’s wand to her hand before she does anything. Regina chooses not to gloat, instead hitting Ruby with a stinging jinx on her thigh before she grins. “Better luck next time, dear,” she smiles. As Professor Nolan announces the end of the match, she holds out a hand to help Ruby to her feet. “Really, great job, though,” she assures her as they shake hands. But the match has ended now, and both girls’ houses pull them aside to congratulate them on a great match, consoling them on points lost. In all the mayhem, Regina loses track of Ruby. She can’t help but find herself disappointed.


	57. Stress (Red Beauty)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re the stress eater and I’m the stress baker so we end up becoming best friends.”

Ruby blamed it on her Granny. Growing up living above a bakery, Ruby had learned how to bake practically before she knew how to read. Some mornings before she went off to school, Ruby would help Granny measure out the ingredients and stir. It was how she learned how to add and subtract, use fractions and ratios. On the afternoons when Ruby came back from school angry with the mean girls who bullied her, Granny would set her to kneading the bread dough. She worked out her frustration while doing something productive. When she was struggling to understand something in class, Granny would talk it out with her while making a new recipe. Ruby learned to deal with struggles through baking.

When she went to Hogwarts, Ruby lost access to her only outlet for stress. In the days and weeks leading up to exams and projects and big assignments, Ruby would spend her hours crying and pulling her hair out, unable to find relief. After a while, an older student took pity on her and tried to help the young Gryffindor manage her stress. She made it through that year by the skin of her teeth.

“Why didn’t you talk to McGonagall?” Granny asked that first summer. “She and I go way back. She could’ve given you access to the kitchens.” Ruby’s jaw drops. That next year, she learns the name of each house elf before exams even began.

 

Belle blamed it on her nanny as a child. Rose was an older woman who enjoyed baking. Moe French hired her after the untimely death of his wife to take care of the four year old daughter left behind. While Moe worked long hours trying to make ends meet in the financial department, Rose took care of Belle all day. The elderly nanny loved to bake and spoiled Belle with all of the baked goods. Whenever Belle had a bad day, Nanny Rose was there with a fresh plate of cookies. Whenever Belle really missed her mom or cried because she was starting to forget what she looked and sounded like, Nanny Rose would make her cupcakes or muffins. It became her way of self soothing.

When she went to Hogwarts, it became harder for Belle to soothe without her easy access to sweets. Sometimes, when she knew she was going to be up late studying for a test or working on her mountain of assignments, Belle would stuff a handful of desserts from the dinner table into a napkin and bring them up to her room. Unfortunately, she couldn’t always predict when she’d have a craving for something sweet and sometimes her housemates would steal her sweets before Belle got a chance to eat them.

Belle kept in contact with Nanny Rose, of course. Once she started complaining in her letters about her lack of sweets, Rose started sending packages. Belle would complain about upcoming exams or projects and packages of fresh cookie and pastries and breads- somehow, still magically warm- would appear in her window. It was a beautiful arrangement until Nanny Rose fell ill in February. She died by Easter, and Belle had absolutely no way to comfort herself. It took until May, just before exams for Belle to finally cave and go to Professor Flitwick for help, and he gave her access to the kitchens to help her. For the rest of first year, Belle studied in the kitchens and became friends with the house elves. She was the only person in there besides the house elves. Until second year, that is.

 

There was a huge test the next week in Ruby’s transfiguration class and her head was spinning while trying to remember all of the facts and facets of transfiguration, and she needed the precision of baking to calm her down.

“Hey, Blinky, mind if I use one of the ovens to make some chocolate chip cookies? I need to focus on something that is  _ not _ transfiguration for a while,” Ruby sighs heavily as she enters the kitchen.

“Ruby?” a muffled voice calls out. Ruby peers around the house elves and steam of dishes being washed and meals being prepared to find a tiny brunette Ravenclaw sitting on a stool by the fire, pastry crumbs falling out of her mouth.

“Belle French? What are you doing here?” Ruby asks, laughing. She makes her way over towards the small, mousy girl.

“Studying for the transfiguration test,” Belle shrugs, blushing. “Studying tends to stress me out, and I eat when I’m stressed so…” she gestures towards the kitchen and Ruby notices that her notes are spread out all over the floor. She smiles.

“What a coincidence. When  _ I’m _ stressed, I bake. A study group made in Heaven.” Belle giggles at the poor joke and Ruby is grateful. “You like chocolate chip cookies?”

“They’re my favorite,” Belle nods eagerly.

“Perfect. I’m trying to perfect my recipe. Today, I think I’m gonna try something new. You allergic to anything?” Belle shakes her head. “Perfect. Then, when the cookies are done, you can help me study, and while you eat, I can quiz you.” The house elves had been clearing a table near Belle for Ruby to use while the girls spoke and she set to work. They settled into an easy rhythm. While Ruby was measuring, Belle would study quietly. Once Ruby had begun to mix and put the cookies in the oven, Belle would start reviewing with her. While the cookies baked, Ruby studied. Once they were finished, Belle would munch on cookies while quizzing Ruby.

They both aced the test the next week.

 

Over the years, it became a routine, a habit. When either one was stressed, they’d meet each other in the kitchens and spend hours baking. Sometimes, it was school stress and they’d help each other study. 

More often, it was social stress. Ruby got into a fight with her dorm mate Emma and now everything was awkward, so Belle talked her through it while Ruby baked croissants and she apologized the next day. Belle’s father wasn’t replying to her letters and she was worried he was working too much, so Ruby fed her apple fritters and wrote a long, detailed letter to Moe French to get him to set the record straight. He replied the next day that everything was fine and he was just overworked, but taking a break now.

The kitchens became their safe spot where the girls could talk about anything. They talked about romantic troubles and Belle’s first boyfriend Rumple (he was terrible, and Ruby helped Belle get the courage to break up with him). They talked about Ruby’s first boyfriend Peter, who died that same year after being attacked by a werewolf. Ruby’s pies tasted like salt and tears, but Belle didn’t have the heart to tell her so she just held her. In fourth year, it was the place where Ruby finally figured out that she was bisexual, and the place where Belle hugged her and told her it was okay. In fifth year, it was the place where they spent the majority of their waking hours studying for the OWLs. (Ruby is pretty sure that she had supplied the majority of pastries for Hogwarts students that year, she was down there so much).

Now, in their sixth year, it was the place where they were arguing over a bowl of cake batter.

“What is it, Belle?” Ruby demands. “You’ve been acting weird for, like, three weeks! You don’t want to study as often. You’re barely hungry at meals, and even down here you only eat two cookies where you used to be able to eat a dozen. You won’t talk to me, Belle. Please, just talk to me!” she begs softer. Belle can’t even look at her. She just folds her arms across her stomach.

“I-I  _ can’t _ ,” she whimpers. Ruby skirts around the table, reaching for her but Belle pulls away as the first tear falls. “I  _ can’t _ ,” she repeats. The tears form steady tracks down her cheeks. It’s always been physically painful for Ruby to watch Belle cry.

“Please, Belle. You’re scaring me. If you won’t talk to me, talk to someone else. Like… Emma? Or Mary Margaret? Professor Flitwick, your dad, anyone!”

“I  _ can’t _ ,” Belle wails. “I can’t tell anyone! It’ll ruin  _ e-everything _ !” Belle hiccups out a sob and Ruby pulls her close to her chest as Belle dissolves into hysterics. She doesn’t fight the embrace this time. Ruby just holds her tight, rubbing small circles on her back and humming soft songs.

“You can tell me anything,” Ruby finally whispers once Belle seems to have calmed down. Thankfully, the house elves had dispersed to give Belle privacy, but not before leaving her a glass of water, a mug of hot cocoa and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Ruby smiles as she guides Belle to sit down near the offerings. Over the years, the house elves had come to love Belle almost as much as Ruby does. “We can always tell each other anything, right?” Belle burrows her face into Ruby’s shoulder.

“You’ll hate me. My dad will hate me,” Belle whispers, so soft that Ruby almost couldn’t hear her. She pulls away so that she can look at Ruby, nursing the cup of cocoa in her grasp.

“I could never hate you,” Ruby smiles. It’s true. Somewhere along the way, she had fallen hard and fast for Belle, and she didn’t know if she could ever stop loving her.

“I… I think I… I really like someone. Like, a lot. More than I’ve ever liked anyone,” Belle says after a long pause. Ruby tries not to wilt. 

“Well, that’s no reason for anyone to hate you,” she says neutrally. 

“No, it’s… This person is… different. Different from anyone I’ve ever dated, and I don’t know how people will… react to it.” Ruby, of course, notes the neutral pronouns.

“Is it… Belle, is it a girl? If it is, I won’t hate you. It’d be kind of hypocritical of me, you know,” she teases. Belle whimpers, biting at her lower lip.

“I… that’s not it. She’s… God, Ruby, what if my dad hates me because I’m… gay?” The word dangles in the air, loaded with all of Belle’s insecurities and fears.

“Like, you’re totally gay? Not, like, bi or something?” Ruby asks curiously, because she really can’t stop herself. She wants to slap herself when Belle’s eyes start to water. She shakes her head wordlessly. “But, Rumple?” Again, Ruby wants to curse herself for her foot-in-mouth syndrome. Belle laughs bitterly.

“He was… I liked the idea of him, but once it came down to it… I didn’t like him enough but this girl… God, Ruby, I just… I feel… so much for her that it’s become actually difficult for me to be near her. She takes my breath away and lights my skin on fire and she knows I’ve been avoiding her these past few weeks, but she doesn’t get that I just did it because if I were close to her… I might do something stupid and wreck our friendship. And I need this friendship, Ruby. It keeps me… sane, and whole, like… Like breathing.” Belle exhales, biting her lip and drawing her knees to her chest. She drops her gaze and Ruby can’t find the words. Because  _ fuck _ it hurts hearing Belle talk about someone else that she cares for. But, Ruby wants Belle to be happy more than anything else, even if she isn’t happy with her.

“Then, you have to go for it. You can’t spend your life wondering ‘what if,’ Belle. You need to know, for better or worse. And if it doesn’t work out, you and I will figure this out after. But really, I can’t see anyone not liking you back, Belle. It’d be hard not to love you,” she says kindly. And she has to look away now, because while it would be hard for someone not to love Belle, it’s even harder for Ruby to love her when Belle loves someone else. She’s pinching at her palms, trying to keep the tears at bay when she feels Belle’s hand on her cheek, forcing her to lock eyes. Ruby draws in a sharp breath and now the tears are falling because she doesn’t want to watch Belle be in love with someone else. She closes her eyes for a moment because it’s all too much, and then she feels soft lips pressed against hers. She jerks back.

“I- sorry,” Belle whispers. “I didn’t- I’ll just- I’ll go. We can forget this ever happened.” She starts to stand and this snaps Ruby out of her trance because  _ holy fuck, Belle French just kissed her and she cannot walk away. _ She grabs Belle’s wrist and pulls her back down to the floor. Belle falls clumsily into Ruby’s lap and then Ruby’s lips are on hers, insistent and yielding, gentle but firm against her own. They only pause when breathing becomes necessary.

“What if I don’t want to forget?” Ruby pants. Belle grins. Ruby beams back. They sit there staring for a moment until the house elves start cheering. Ruby laughs and Belle blushes, having forgotten all of their friends were watching. “I think an occasion like this deserves chocolate chip cookies. Belle, you wanna learn how to make my famous recipe?” Ruby stands, holding out a hand for Belle. She beams, standing up.

“I’d love to,” Belle sighs happily. But she isn’t eating because she’s stressed anymore. No, these aren’t stress cookies. They’re celebration cookies.


	58. The Family Business (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Can you do one where Emma is a Death Eater but in school she's one of the nicest and Coolest people there. Always willing to help, but MM and David are her parents and have been part of Voldemort's followers since the beginning so offer their daughter up as a follower as well. Emma grew up along them and their beliefs, but fell in love with a muggle born, Regina, and is tasked with killing her to prove her loyalty she is tasked with killing Regina at the final battle. But rather than lose her love she decides to attack Regina with minor spells causing Regina to attack her in return coercing her into killing her. In the end Regina is the on me to discover Emma and rather than have her remembered as a Death Eater places an illusion charm on Emma's mark to hide it and have her remembered as she was at the school. Feel free to change whatever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Heavy on the angst and death)

“To prove our devotion to you, my Lord, we pledge our firstborn daughter, Emma. When she grows, she will be your devoted servant. Anything you need of her, she will do it. We pledge this on our lives,” David Nolan promised, kneeling before the Dark Lord. They had been his servants since their schooldays and now that his wife had just given birth, they were determined to prove their worth. The Dark Lord nodded, accepting their offer, and David went back to his wife with the joyous news.

The Dark Lord fell shortly after, but the Nolans still raised their daughter in the old ways. Soon enough, he would rise again and they wanted her to be ready.

 

“I love you, Emma,” Regina whispered into the hug. Emma stilled. They’d been dating for nearly six months, and she knew that the warm feelings blooming in her chest couldn’t be ignored. But she still wasn’t prepared. “Emma?” The blonde Slytherin realized she had been silent for too long. “You don’t have to say it back if you-”

“I love you, Regina,” Emma interrupts. Because she does. Despite all odds, she loves Regina. Despite her parents’ voices whispering in her ear,  _ she’s a muggleborn, you can’t love her. Mudblood filth that the Dark Lord will wipe from this earth, _ Emma loves her. Despite the impending wizarding war, Emma loves her. Despite the Dark Mark burned into her forearm, Emma loves her. Despite the fact that Emma was ordered to kill Regina or her whole family would be murdered, Emma loves her. And it’s worth seeing the way Regina’s whole face lights up.

“You know the war is coming, right? I convinced my parents to hide, just in case the Death Eaters come after them,” Regina sighed, snuggling into Emma’s chest. They were resting in the Gryffindor Tower in the middle of the night, putting off going to bed- most nights now, Emma stayed there rather than in the Slytherin common room. She just didn’t want to be there anymore. She couldn’t listen to them.

“I don’t want to talk about the war. For all I care, Harry Potter and You-Know-Who can go fuck off. Just make it end. I just want to stay here with you.” Emma pulled Regina closer against her, hiding under blankets on the couch, watching the fire die down. They stay silent, just holding each other until the morning.

 

When the battle begins, Emma knows this is her last chance before the Dark Lord makes good on his threat. As terrible as her parents are for supporting Him, Emma doesn't want them dead. But she also can't live with herself killing Regina. No, she came to the conclusion that the best option would be for her to die. She would duel Regina but would allow herself to lose. It was the only way. Emma was running around the battlefield, avoiding Regina and trying to help people where she could. Suddenly, she was knocked flat on her ass. 

“Emma!” Regina gasps and Emma visibly flinches. Emma stands up, backing away with her wand out. “Emma, what are you doing?”

“I'm so sorry,” Emma whimpers. “I've been lying to you. He's got- my parents are- I have to do this.” Regina just tilts her head, still on the ground with her wand by her side. Nervously, Emma blasts the rock next to Regina's hand. Her girlfriend yelps, scrambling to her feet. 

“Emma!” Emma doesn't say anything, tears in her eyes as she keeps sending spells in the general direction. “Emma stop!”

“Why? You afraid I'll beat you?” Emma challenges. Regina narrows her eyes and starts to fight back. They're just weak spells, nothing too harmful. 

“Stop this, Emma!”

“I can't,” she growls through gritted teeth. Obviously if she wants this to look real, she has to be more convincing. “You're a muggleborn. Stop fighting.”  _ Please, keep fighting. Make it look real,  _ she thought to herself. 

“I can't believe you're saying these things,” Regina pants. She starts trying to stun Emma. Maybe if she can just get her somewhere quiet, they can talk things out. 

“Well, believe it. You're a muggle born and I'm a pureblood. It never could have worked. You were just a… a distraction.” It physically pains Emma to say these things but she can see the set of Regina's jaw, the hardening in her eyes and she knows this was the way to go. Maybe now they can make it look real. 

“Stop saying these things. Just stop and talk to me!” She pleads. Emma steps into a stunning spell then and she falls to the ground. Regina runs toward her but a stampede of acromantula cut her off and in the following madness, she loses sight of Emma. 

 

It's after the final battle, once You-Know-Who had been defeated forever, Regina went looking for her again. She had searched all over the castle grounds, in the hall where the dead were being brought, in the infirmary. She looked everywhere before Regina returns to the spot near the boathouse where she had last seen Emma. The young girl was still lying on the ground and Regina’s heart stopped. There was a sizeable pool of blood around her and her limbs were bent at awkward angles. When Regina knelt by her side, she grabbed Emma's left hand. Her sleeve fell back to reveal the Dark Mark. 

“Oh, Emma,” she gasps. How could she have dated Emma- loved her even- and not known she had a Dark Mark?  How could she have been so stupid? “You'd do anything to please your parents, wouldn't you?” she sobbed, clutching Emma's broken body to her chest. 

It had been difficult to get Emma to open up while they were dating, but she had discovered that Emma's parents had high expectations of her. It's only now that she's realizing how high those expectations are. For a moment, Regina doubts. Was their entire relationship a sham? Did Emma really love her or was she just trying to get close to her to kill her? 

But no, she can't believe that. She has to believe that Emma truly loves her.  _ Loved  _ her, she corrects herself. Because Emma's dead now. Emma's dead because Regina stunned her and she got trampled because she couldn't move away. Emma was dead because of her. And now, she had to bring her to the Great Hall. She was just trying to rearrange her robes in a better way so that she can carry her when she realizes. She can't allow anyone to see the tattoo. 

“No, Emma, you can't be remembered like this,” she sniffles. She won't allow Emma's memory to be tarnished like this. Emma was a good person who helped the first years. She always looked out for people and it was universally agreed upon that she was the coolest Slytherin ever. Emma Swan was a good person who didn't deserve to be remembered like this. Regina took a deep breath and placed the illusion charm, masking the presence of the Dark Mark. No one would ever need to know. Regina would take this secret to her grave, and she would always wonder what would have happened if she had never fallen in love with Emma. 


	59. The Best Laid Schemes (Red Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Can you write RedQueen with a side of RedSwan and Mills sister Brotp? Ruby doesn't have the gut to ask Regina out, so Emma and Zelena hatch a creative plan... That got them all in trouble.” ~ LuceDaPanda

“Emma, look at her, she’s so… perfect.  _ Argh _ !” Ruby whines, dropping her head in her hands. Emma just rolled her eyes.

“Listen, Red, I have been listening to this mopey bullshit for three years now. If you don’t woman up and ask out Mills, I will do it for you,” Emma says bluntly. The sixth year Gryffindors were sitting in the back of their potions class and Ruby was watching Regina make their assignment for the day.

“You wouldn’t,” Ruby glares. Of course Emma wouldn’t. They’d been best friends since they first got to Hogwarts, both lonely outcasts put into Gryffindor. So no, Emma would never ask out the girl Ruby has been crushing on since third year. But if it lit a fire under Ruby’s ass… maybe she would pretend.

“Maybe I would. I mean, you’ve spent the better part of our Hogwarts careers telling me how amazing she is. Maybe you better step up before someone else swoops in. Especially since she and Robin have been over for a while now,” Emma shrugs, smirking. Ruby’s cheeks redden and she frowns at Emma, a strange mix of fear, anger and sadness playing over her face.

“Whatever,” she pouts, distractedly stirring the cauldron. “She probably wouldn’t even go for girls anyway.”

“Dude, Regina’s bi. She’s been out for years now. Remember her and Mal?” Emma hints, elbowing her friend.

“Maybe that was just… a fluke?” 

“Rubes-”

“Ladies, are we working or talking?” Professor White asks, raising an eyebrow. Ruby blushes and Emma winces.

“Sorry Professor,” they whisper in tandem.

“Less chatting, more working,” she reminds them. The subject of Regina Mills is dropped.

 

When classes were over for the day, Regina walked all the way down to the dungeons and conned an older student into letting her into the Slytherin common room just to go into her sister’s dormitory and collapse face down on her bed, groaning.

“What’s wrong, little Mills? Your lady giving you troubles again?” Lilly teases from her bed. Regina just mumbles something into the pillow. When Zelena comes out of the bathroom she rolls her eyes.

“My little sister, the drama queen,” she laughs, jumping on top of her little sister. Regina cries out, rolling around and shoving Zelena off of her, but her older sister is stronger. They end up sprawled out on the floor, a tangled mess of limbs and giggles.

“Please,” Lilly scoffs, rolling her eyes. “You’re giving the noble house of Slytherin a bad name.” But she says it with a smile so Regina just pokes her tongue out and climbs onto the bed, combing her fingers through her hair.

“Why doesn’t she like me?” Regina whines.

“Is this  _ still _ about Ruby Lucas? That girl is so head over heels for you, it’s ridiculous,” Lilly snorts.

“Lil, could you go find somewhere else to be annoying? Let me have a minute with my little sis?” Zelena tilts her head meaningfully at the other seventh year and she nods knowingly. 

“Fine, fine. I’ll go. Let me know when I’m allowed to come back.”

“Drama queen, honestly,” Zelena mutters as the leaves. She pauses a moment, watching the way Regina shrinks in on herself a bit, hugging herself and letting her hair obscure her face.

“Hey, Gina, what’s going on?” she asks gently, nudging her sister.

“Why hasn’t she asked me out? You all seem to think she likes me, but then why does she never even seem to wanna talk to me?” When Zelena brushes her hair behind her ears, Regina curls into her sister’s side.

“Because for a Gryffindor, she’s a chicken.”

“Zelena,” Regina groans. Zelena just smiles.

“And for a Ravenclaw, you’re an idiot. She acts like an idiot around you, and she can never seem to put a sentence together in your presence. She blushes when you so much as  _ look _ at her. She smiles at you whenever you breathe if you’re not looking at her. God, Gina, she’s so head over heels for you it’s driving me bloody mad,” Zelena laughs. “Besides, you really should snap her up before someone else comes along and takes her.”

“Oh my God, what if… Oh my God, I bet I’m too late. Someone got her and I’ll never be able to date her. How terrible. Tragic,” Regina drawls dramatically, falling back on the bed. Zelena rolls her eyes.

“You are pathetic,” she mutters.

 

Zelena corners Emma in the library three days later.

“Swan,” Zelena hisses, trapping Emma with one arm braced on the bookshelf. Emma’s back is to the corner and her eyes widen as she looks Zelena up and down. Her wild, red curls form a sort of curtain, obscuring her face in shadows.

“Uh… Zelena? Can I help you?” Emma asks nervously. She backs further into the corner to give herself some semblance of personal space. Immediately Zelena drops her arm and takes a step back, satisfied she got Emma’s attention.

“You’re friends with Ruby Lucas, yeah?” Emma nods briskly, not quite sure where this is going. “In case you haven’t noticed, my little sister is head over heels for her. And just in case you’re  _ truly _ oblivious, Ruby is over the moon for her.”

“No shit,” Emma snorts, sort of seeing where this is going. “I’m so sick of hearing about how much Ruby likes her and how perfect she is and how she’d never like Ruby,” Emma mocks.

“Oh my  _ God _ , Ruby does that, too? Regina is so damn annoying. Anyway, I think you and I need to do something about their idiocy.” Emma shrugs.

“How?” Emma muses.

“Oh, I’ve got a beautiful plan,” Zelena smirks. “It involves jealousy, the lighthouse method, and them getting their shit together.” Emma smiles, leaning in closer.

“I’m listening.”

 

“Of all the  _ idiotic _ schemes you girls have done, this one is the  _ worst _ ,” Professor McGonagall hisses, pacing around the girls sitting in chairs. Emma’s nose was still bleeding, Zelena’s face was swollen, Regina was holding her ribcage and Ruby’s knuckles were swollen and bloody. 

Professor Nolan, deputy headmaster crossed his arms. “Duelling, brawling like muggles. All in the middle of the Great Hall. And over what? A boy?” Zelena rolls her eyes.

“Of course, we’re girls so we could only be arguing about a boy, right? Of all the ridiculous, misogynistic-”

“Miss Mills!” McGonagall interrupts, glaring. 

“Sorry,” Zelena huffs.

“Now, I want to know.  _ What. Happened? _ ” All four girls start shouting over each other at once. A burst of purple smoke blasts out of the end of McGonagall’s wand and the girls fell silent at the sound. “One at a time.”

“Well, professor, Ruby and my sister have both had crushes on each other since forever,” Zelena begins. “But they were both too thick to realize, so we decided to help them along.”

“Yeah, pfft,  _ ‘help’ _ ,” Ruby scoffs. “You two made everything so much worse.”

“We got you two to admit your feelings,” Emma counters.

“You kissed me!” Regina roars. “In the middle of the Great Hall during dinner!”

“Without consent?” McGonagall raises an eyebrow. 

“Well, uh, yeah, but then Ruby got mad and she punched me in the face and then Zelena challenged Ruby to prove her worth to date Regina and so they started duelling and then Regina punched me and I shoved her and she fell on the ground and hurt her ribs and it was just a mess!” Emma huffs. McGonagall just glared at them for a while.

“I am too damn old for this,” she grunts. “Regina, Ruby, sort your relationships out in your own common rooms rather than in the Great Hall. Emma,  _ consent _ . You can’t just play with people’s emotions like that. Zelena, stop instigating duels. David, you can dole out the punishments. I need a drink,” she sighs, adding the last statement under her breath.

They ended up with a month’s Saturday detentions each, but Emma and Zelena figured it was worth it when they caught the two girls kissing in a secret passageway later that night.


	60. The Moment I Knew (Swan Queen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Okay so this one just popped in my head can you do one where Regina is walking with her sister Zelena and confesses that she has been in love with her best friend of 4 years but is worried she would lose her before she can get the chance because Emma is competing in the triwizard tournament and wants to ask Emma to the Yule ball but is afraid that her feelings will be unrequited by Emma even though Emma is out of the closet loud and proud is the quidditch captain and is always fawned over by the other girls Emma is a Gryffindor Regina is RavenClaw along with Zelena who is a 6th year and tells her to just go for it because she will never know if she doesn't try but meanwhile Emma is talking to her twin Katherine at the black lake about the same exact thing and how she has loved Regina since the moment she saw her excitement the moment the sorting hat had put her in the same house as her sister btw Katherine and Emma are orphaned twins the rest is up to you”

“Zelena, can I talk to you?” Regina asks softly as they walked around the edge of the Black Lake. Zelena raised a curious eyebrow.

“I thought we were doing that?” she smiles.

“No, no, we are. Just… Like… About something specific. I-I wanted to talk… about something specific,” she stammered nervously.  _ Argh, why is this so hard, _ she thought.

Okay,” Zelena concedes with a nod. She goes silent to give her little sister control of the conversation. She  _ knows _ where this is going, but she doesn’t want to spook Regina. As they continue walking slowly around the lake, Zelena nudges her sister’s shoulder.

“I… I have to tell you… I’ve been… I think I’m g-gay,” Regina finally stammers out. Zelena smiles.

“And I have red hair,” she teases. “Just in case we’re stating the obvious, or maybe things we can’t change and things that don’t really change the fact that we’re sisters. And I love you, no matter what.” 

“Really?” Regina says softly. She looks over at her sister with tears in her eyes.

“Of course,” Zelena scoffs. “You may be a pain, but you’re a lovable pain and I wouldn’t change anything about you.” Zelena pauses to hug her little sister, squeezing her tight. She holds on until Regina pulls back. “Is that all?”

“Um, not- not really,” Regina sighs. They continue their slow pace around the edge of the lake.

“There’s someone specific. You have a crush,” Zelena giggles, absolutely giddy. 

“Um, kind of. But, but it’s more serious. It’s more like… God, Z, I think I, like, I think I love her.” Regina pauses. “No, no. I do. I do love her.”

“Well,” Zelena smiles. “What girl could possibly be good enough for you to feel like this?”

“E-Emma,” Regina chokes out. Because if she doesn’t say this now, she never will. “I love Emma. And I have since… God, I don’t even know when. But I’m afraid.”

“Why on Earth are you afraid? You’re Regina freaking Mills!” Zelena crows. “And Emma Swan is your best friend.”

“Because… what if she doesn’t feel the same way? What if this ruins everything?” Zelena pauses, brushing her sister’s hair back. The younger Mills takes a deep, shuddering breath before continuing. “And I want to ask her to the Yule Ball but I can’t because she’s a  _ champion _ and more is expected of her at the ball and she has to dance. And what if she says no?”

“Okay, first of all, you do realize that you’re  _ Regina freaking Mills _ right? And if she says no to you, she’s an idiot. Also, that girl has been out and proud since the second year, but she’s never gone out with anyone since she became friends with you. What makes you think she doesn’t like you?” Zelena asks, linking her arm with Regina’s as they continue walking.

“Just because she likes girls doesn't automatically mean she likes me,” Regina blushes. 

“I know that,” Zelena says with a roll of her eyes. “But I've also seen the way she acts around you and trust me, that girl is smitten.” Regina makes a small sound of disbelief. “I'm serious. You should just… ask her to the ball before it's too late. If you don't do it you'll be kicking yourself forever with the ‘what if’s and I'm not really looking to deal with that for the next forty years.” She smirks as Regina blushes. 

“Okay, I'll ask her later… but when this all goes to hell I’m absolutely blaming you,” she sighs. Zelena just snickers as they turn and head back towards the castle. 

 

Meanwhile, Emma Swan was pacing the length of the Quidditch pitch. 

“I still don’t understand why you dragged me here if you’re just going to pace in circles. Really, Emma, I had homework,” Katherine drawls. Emma just stills for a moment, scowling at her twin.

“I’m trying,” she hisses. Katherine pauses.

“Emma, what’s going on?” In all sixteen years, she’s never seen Emma this riled up. And Katherine has seen Emma  _ literally _ make their foster homes blow up when she was upset. (Okay, that was just one time before they knew they were witches. And she had only made the lightbulbs all shatter simultaneously because their foster dad was threatening them. It was after that that Headmistress Snow White had come to place them in a magical foster home). 

“I-I think I’m in love with her- no, no I  _ know _ I’m in love with her,” Emma finally sighs. Katherine knows exactly what this is about. “And I’m so sick of pretending I don’t because I do. And I’ve loved her for a long time.”

“How long?” Katherine asks curiously.

“Well, I knew the moment I met her on the train before the first year that I just… wanted to be near her. I was drawn to her. And then when she was put into Ravenclaw and I was in Gryffindor, I was sad. But then you got put there and I… I was sad we wouldn’t be together but I was  _ happy _ . Because maybe, just maybe you being there meant I could have a chance to get be near her. But then I was a chicken because I… I didn’t understand that I was gay. But my God, am I gay,” Emma snorts. Katherine hits her.

“Dork,” she smiles.

“You love me,” Emma smirks, coming over to squeeze her sister’s outstretched hand. 

“Not as much as you love  _ Regina _ ,” Katherine teases. Emma blushes. “Are you going to ask her to the ball?” Emma shrugs, kicking at clumps of dirt on the pitch.

“What is she says no?” Her voice is small, nervous. She sounds a lot like the eight-year-old who had to explain to the Headmistress that she didn’t  _ mean _ to make the lights blow up. Katherine squeezes her hand.

“What kind of Gryffindor are you?” Katherine says. Emma scowls, but Katherine knows that Emma won’t respond well to gentle words. She’s a woman of action. She likes to be challenged. Her twin needs to be pushed, and Katherine has always been good at pushing. “Gryffindor is for the brave. And you’re afraid to ask a girl out? You’re better than this Emma. You’re Emma freaking Swan! You’re the quidditch captain, the seeker. You have people  _ fawning _ over you. If Regina Mills doesn’t like you- and I seriously think she does based on the moony looks whenever you come visit me- then you will move on. You will find someone else who deserves you more. So, we are going to go inside and get out of this damn cold air and you will find that girl and ask her to the ball. And then, no matter what the outcome, we will go to the kitchens for a snack and you can recap the whole thing for me. Understood?”

“What would I do without you, Kate?” Emma smiles, linking arms with her sister and dragging her back to the warmth of the castle.

“Here’s hoping we never have to find out,” Katherine smiles. She leans her head on Katherine’s shoulder and feels Katherine kiss the top of her head. And Emma really didn’t want to find out. Ever since they were kids it was always Katherine protecting Emma, keeping her safe. Katherine was level headed where Emma was brash and impulsive. It’s what kept them off the streets and away from danger. As they exit the pitch, Emma just leans into her sister, glad she hasn’t lost her.

 

Zelena and Regina are halfway down the third-floor corridor when the elder Mills sees the Swan twins.

“Hey, Regina, look who it is,” she smirks. Regina makes this choked little squeaking sound. “Maybe we should stop and say hi?” 

“Zelena,” Regina hisses. Zelena just smiles, pulling her towards the staircase where Emma and Katherine are standing.

 

“Oh, Emma, look who’s over there,” Katherine giggles. “It’s your  _ girlfriend _ . Or are you too chicken to ask her out?” Emma huffs, her cheeks pink. 

“Of course I’m gonna ask her,” Emma growls, immediately rising to the challenge. 

“Well good,” Katherine smirks. “Because here they come.”

 

“Oh, Katherine, Emma, hello!” Zelena smiles. Her voice is so fake and everyone knows it. “How are you doing?”

“We’re great, Zelena, thanks for asking!” Katherine responds, equally as bright and forced. “Could I ask you a question about my homework?” All four girls know that neither of them will be discussing homework but they keep up the charade, scurrying down the hallway. Alone now, Emma clears her throat.

“Hey, Gina,” Emma smiles nervously. Regina smiles, shifting on the balls of her feet. “Um, you wanna… Are you heading back to Ravenclaw tower?” Regina nods.

“Walk with me?” Regina offers.

“Um, yes, let’s… Let’s walk.” They walk in silence for a few minutes. “So you-”

“I wanted to ask-” Both girls speak at once, pause awkwardly, then stumble and stammer until finally, Emma clears her throat. With pink cheeks and biting her lip, she forces herself to look up into Regina’s eyes.

“Um, so, Regina… I wanted to ask you… If you were going to the Yule Ball. And, like, if you’d go… with me. As a date,” Emma clarifies. It’s painfully awkward and stilted and she can’t look Regina in the eye but she got all the words out. And Regina’s not answering. “It’s fine if you… If you don’t. You can… We can forget about this if-”

“Yes.” And Emma has never been so grateful for Regina interrupting her nervous rambling.

“Y-yes?” And Emma finally locks eyes with Regina. To find her grinning. Beaming, even.

“Yeah. I… I’d really like to go to the ball with you. As a date.” And they’re grinning shyly at each other now, standing and swaying for a moment before Emma tentatively reaches out and squeezes Regina’s hand. They walk like that all the way to Ravenclaw Tower before Emma gives Regina a chaste kiss goodnight.

 

“See, I told you it would work,” Katherine grins. They’d waited just around the corner, listening as their sisters both awkwardly fumbled through the conversation. “Emma just needed a little push. As soon as we started hinting about the Yule ball, they both thought of asking each other.”

“Such predictable idiots,” Zelena scoffs, rolling her eyes.

“They’re kind of cute, though,” Katherine sighs.

“Yeah, but if your sister hurts mine, I won’t hesitate to fight her.” Katherine snickers, nodding.

“That’s fair, but I have the same policy. Now, if you don’t mind, I have to go tease my sister mercilessly about how awkward she is. It was nice working with you, Mills.”

“And you, Swan,” Zelena grins. The two older sisters part ways, both off to get details about a conversation they’d just witnessed, each sighing, glad their sisters were happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this has been fun, guys! 60 whole chapters, 60 different stories! But, I am going to close this one for prompts and things (at least for a while). I'm just not really watching OUAT anymore because it's lost my interest. Sorry, and if you have a prompt you really like you can send it in, but I have nothing else written and nothing inspiring me. Enjoy, dearies!

**Author's Note:**

> Yes? No? Looking for any specific pairings? Got a prompt you'd like to see? Send me prompts and pairings, and I'll do my best with it!!


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